Foetal blood sampling. Practical approach to management of foetal distress.

The practical application of foetal blood sampling in the routine management of patients in labour has been reviewed in a six-month survey, during which time 1,668 patients were delivered at Queen Charlotte's Hospital.Foetal acidaemia (pH 7.25 or less) occurred in 45 of the 295 patients who showed clinical signs of foetal distress. Foetal tachycardia was the presenting sign in 33 of these 45 patients, underlining the importance of this physical sign. Foetal acidaemia in association with clinical foetal distress occurred twice as often in patients who had complications of pregnancy and who were therefore regarded as obstetrically "at risk" as it did in patients who were obstetrically "normal" No cases of acidaemia were detected in any of the foetal blood samples performed routinely on "at-risk" patients in the absence of clinical foetal distress.