Antepartum Testing Health Article

KEY TERMS

Acceleration—An increase in the fetal heart rate that can indicate normal placental blood flow to the fetus.

Amniocentesis—A procedure by which amniotic fluid is obtained for biochemical determinations, i.e. fetal lung maturity, genetic studies.

Amniotic fluid—The liquid that surrounds the baby within the amniotic sac. It is composed mostly of fetal urine, thus, a decreased amount can indicate inadequate placental blood flow to the fetus.

Cordocentesis—A method of obtaining a fetal blood sample from the umbilical cord, also called percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS).

Deceleration—A decrease in the fetal heart rate that can indicate inadequate placental blood flow to the fetus.

Doppler flow studies—A procedure for measuring blood flow that is helpful in determining abnormalities.

Oxytocin—A natural hormone that produces uterine contractions.

Ultrasound—A procedure in which high-frequency sound waves are used to create an image of a baby. It can be used alone or with other antepartum testing.

Vibroacoustic stimulation—An artificial larynx that produces a loud noise to stimulate the fetus to wake up. It should not be used more than three times in a testing period.

BOOKS

Olds, Sally B., Marcia L. London, and Patricia A. Ladewig. Maternal-Newborn Nursing: A Family and Community-Based Approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Health, 2000

Star, Winifred L., et al. Ambulatory Obstetrics. San Francisco: UCSF Nursing Press, 1999.

PERIODICALS

Spong, Catherine L. "Antepartum Fetal Monitoring: When, What, and How." Contemporary OB/GYN Archive (September 1998). <http://www.perinatology.com/telemed.html>.

Von Almen, William F. "Antepartal Fetal Surveillance." OBGYN.net Publications, 2000. <http://www.obgyn.net/pb/articles/surveillance.html>.

ORGANIZATIONS

National Perinatal Association. 3500 East Fletcher Avenue, Suite 205, Tampa, FL 33613-4712. (888) 971-3295.

Linda K. Bennington, R.N.C., M.S.N., C.N.S.