Intrauterine fetal demise after negative oxytocin challenge tests.

The oxytocin challenge test was used to evaluate the fetoplacental unit in 572 patients over a 5-year period. Four fetuses died in utero within 7 days of a negative test. None had periodic fetal heart rate decelerations of any type. All 4 showed periodic accelerations of the fetal heart rate (FHR) in association with fetal movement. Two had baseline changes in the fetal heart rate during the oxytocin challenge test.