Computerized cardiotocography [La cardiotocografia computerizzata]

The computerized cardiotocography represents a more objective method for the analysis of the fetal heart rate than the visual cardiotocography. Such methodic has been introduced to overcoming the problems related to the analysis and interpretation of the cardiotocographic traces, almost always subjected to a non negligible inter and intra-operator variability. Being already known that the most important sign of fetal well-being is represented by the variability of fetal heart rate, at the end of the Seventies Dawes and Redmen, from the John Radcliffe Hospital of Oxford, retained that it was necessary to measure such parameter expressing it with a defined numerical value. So in 1978 they began to work at the development of a computerized system that could analyze the frequency of the fetal cardiac pulsation. They thought that the computerized elaboration of the cardiotocographic signal could allow to get further information about fetal conditions, through a more reliable and objective measurement. The computerized cardiotocography offers many advantages: the numerical elaboration of the examined prognostic parameters, the graphic translation of the progress of the trace, the easiness in the memorization and interpretation of the data, the reduction of the recording time. The knowledge of the criterions of signal acquisition and the ability to interpretate the results have to be included among the competences of the obstetric medical personnel today, since the computerized cardiotocography offers objective data that can guide the physician in the management of pathological situations such intrauterine growth restriction.