Cardiotocography

The overall aim of this research proposal is to explore the feasibility and acceptability of home antenatal maternal-fetal monitoring technology within a high-risk pregnancy group. The investigators hypothesise that home monitoring is feasible and acceptable to both pregnant women and HCPs. 50 women from a single site will be recruited to use a home cardiotocography (CTG) device alongside routine antenatal care. Participants will use this device once a week, for an hour at a time, for up to 6 weeks or until delivery. The primary outcome is 20 minutes of continuous monitoring. Additional outcomes assess acceptability, adherence and safety.

As baby grows inside the womb of mother, heart and other organs develop. The heart activity can be recorded by placing a transducer on the belly of mother. The tracing obtain provides information about heart rate, any increase or decrease in heart rate and how much it varies with time. Variation in heart rate along with increase is indicator of fetal well being. Some mothers are at high risk of pre-term birth that is baby delivery before 37 weeks of gestation. In such cases steroids are given to mother to accelerate lung development of the baby so that it can easily adapt to outside world. Dexamethasone and Betamethasone are commonly used steroids which can also effect fetal heart activity.