Fetal monitoring in a community hospital. A statistical analysis.

This paper is an evaluation of 2 years of experience with fetal electronic monitoring in a community hospital. It compares Apgar scores and intrapartum and neonatal mortality in 2 groups: 1) monitored cases, comprising 1935 high-risk patients and 2293 normal patients; 2) nonmonitored cases, comprising 1139 high-risk patients and 1855 normal patients. Monitored cases had significantly higher Apgar scores and fewer intrapartum and neonatal deaths than did nonmonitored cases (P less than .001). There was an increase in the primary cesarean section rate and postpartum endometritis in the monitored population.