Observational studyBMC pregnancy and childbirth2020
Effectiveness of fetal scalp stimulation test in assessing fetal wellbeing during labor, a retrospective cohort study.
Observational study in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07035028 (Evaluation of Fetal Response to Intrapartum Digital Fetal Scalp Stimulation Upon Detection of Suspected Loss of Fetal Well-being in Suspicious and Pathologic Cardiotocographic Recordings, to Identify Intrapartum Fetal Hypoxia.), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Evaluation of Fetal Response to Intrapartum Digital Fetal Scalp Stimulation Upon Detection of Suspected Loss of Fetal Well-being in Suspicious and Pathologic Cardiotocographic Recordings, to Identify Intrapartum Fetal Hypoxia.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- What Is the Most Dangerous Time of Birth for Uncomplicated First-Time Mothers and Their Neonates in a Tertiary Obstetric Center?Journal of pregnancy · 2025Article
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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundIt is discussed whether fetal scalp stimulation (FSS) test is a reliable complimentary tool to cardiotocography (CTG) to assess fetal wellbeing during labor. The test is based on the assumption that a well-oxygenated fetus, in contrast to the depressed fetus, will respond to a certain stimulus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the FSS-test.
methodsA retrospective observational study carried out Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark. Laboring women with singleton pregnancies in cephalic presentation after gestation week 33 and indication for fetal blood sampling (FBS) were eligible for inclusion. The FSS-test was classified as positive when an acceleration was absent at the time of FBS and negative when an acceleration was present. Lactate in scalp blood was measured by the point-of-care device LactatePro™ and pH in artery umbilical cord blood by the stationary blood gas analyzer ABL800. Lactate level < 4.2 mmol/L in scalp blood and arterial cord pH > 7.1 were cut-offs for normality.
resultsThree hundred eighty-five women were included. The cohort was divided by the FBS-to-delivery time: Group 1 (n = 128) ≤ 20 min, Group 2 (n = 117) 21-59 min and Group 3 (n = 140) ≥ 60 min. The proportion of FSS-positive tests differed significantly between the groups (p < 0.000). In Group 1 the sensitivity, specificity and likelihoods for scalp lactate ≥4.2 mmol/L were 81.5 (95% CI 67-90.1), 13.3 18.5 (95% CI 5.9-24.6), LHR+ 0.94 (95% CI 0.8-1.1) and LHR - 1.4 (95% CI 0.6-3.2) and for umbilical artery pH ≤ 7.10 the values were 82.6% (95% CI 61.2-95.1), 16% (95% CI 9.4-24.7), 1.0 (95% CI 0.8-1.2) and 1.1 (95% CI 0.4-3) respectively. Regardless of the FBS-to-delivery time the LHR+ for lactate ≥4.2 mmol/L increased to 1.38 (95% CI 1.2-1.6).
conclusionThe effectiveness of scalp stimulation test was poor for both ruling in and out fetal hypoxia during labor. Absence of a provoked acceleration seems to be a normal phenomenon in the second stage of labor.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.