Labor stress test

The labor stress test (also called oxytocin stress test , OBT for short ) is carried out during pregnancy . The aim of the test is to induce labor in order to check the supply of the fetus during labor. The test allows statements to be made about the function of the placenta - for example, whether the fetal supply is sufficient or whether childbirth has to be initiated or a caesarean section has to be performed.

Reasons for performing a labor stress test are an abnormal CTG (irregular or high or low heart rate), suspected placental insufficiency (inadequate supply of the fetus) or calculated transfer (exceeding the calculated due date by 8-10 days).

execution

The test is usually carried out in a maternity hospital with continuous monitoring of the fetal heart rate. An infusion of oxytocin (labor medication) is continuously increased until regular labor is achieved. Alternatively, a nasal spray with oxytocin can be applied regularly - but the dose is less easy to control here. If there are abnormalities in the child's heart activity during the test, the next steps must be planned depending on the type of fetal heart reaction, the gestational age, the fetal position and the condition of the cervix. The options are monitoring, induction or caesarean delivery .

Clinical significance

Since the labor stress test has no evidence-based clinical advantage and has a false positive rate of up to 50%, the test is viewed by the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics as obsolete.

literature

Birgit Laue: 1000 questions for the midwife . Gräfe Und Unzer, 2008, p. 211 ff. ( Online )
Christine Mändle, Sonja Opitz-Kreuter: The midwife book: textbook of practical obstetrics . Schattauer Verlag, Stuttgart, 6th edition 2015, p. 350 ( online )
Stephan Schmidt: CTG practice: Basics and clinical application of cardiotocography . Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart 2014, p. 62 ff. ( Online )
Werner Rath, Ulrich Gembruch, Stephan Schmidt: Obstetrics and perinatal medicine: prenatal diagnosis - diseases - childbirth . Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart 2010, p. 183 ff. ( Online )
HG Hillemanns: Obstetrics - Obstetrics: A comprehensive balance sheet of forward-looking developments at the end of the 20th century . Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg 1995, p. 334 ff. ( Online )
Michael A. Frölich: Obstetric anesthesia and intensive care medicine . Springer-Verlag, Vienna 2000, p. 17 ( online )

Web links

Contractions test - explanation on mamiweb.de
Labor stress test - explanation in the lexicon of pregnancy on rund-ums-baby.de

How is a labor stress test done? on the website of the Navigator Medicine

Entry on the contractions test in Flexikon , a wiki of the DocCheck company

Individual evidence

↑ Use of the CTG during pregnancy and childbirth. (PDF; 1.16 MB) In: AWMF online - guidelines. German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics , working group of the German Society for Perinatal Medicine (DGPM) and the AG for Materno-Fetal Medicine (AGMFM), November 2007, p. 10 , archived from the original on January 13, 2011 ; accessed on October 7, 2019 (registration number 015/036, section 6.1.2 contractions test (stress test) ).

[1] Use of the CTG during pregnancy and childbirth. (PDF; 1.16 MB) In: AWMF online - guidelines. German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics , working group of the German Society for Perinatal Medicine (DGPM) and the AG for Materno-Fetal Medicine (AGMFM), November 2007, p. 10 , archived from the original on January 13, 2011 ; accessed on October 7, 2019 (registration number 015/036, section 6.1.2 contractions test (stress test) ).