Is intrapartum fever associated with ST-waveform changes of the fetal electrocardiogram? A retrospective cohort study

Please cite this paper as: Becker J, van Rijswijk J, Versteijnen B, Evers A, van den Akker E, van Beek E, Bolte A, Rijnders R, Mol B, Moons K, Porath M, Drogtrop A, Schuitemaker N, Willekes C, Westerhuis M, Visser G, Kwee A. Is intrapartum fever associated with ST‐waveform changes of the fetal electrocardiogram? A retrospective cohort study. BJOG 2012;119:1410–1416. Objective To investigate the association between maternal intrapartum fever and ST‐waveform changes of the fetal electrocardiogram. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Three academic and six non‐academic teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. Population Labouring women with a high‐risk singleton pregnancy in cephalic position beyond 36 weeks of gestation. Methods We studied 142 women with fever (≥38.0°C) during labour and 141 women with normal temperature who had been included in two previous studies. In both groups, we counted the number and type of ST‐events and classified them as significant (intervention needed) or not significant, based on STAN® clinical guidelines. Main outcome measures Number and type of ST‐events. Results Both univariable and multivariable regression analysis showed no association between the presence of maternal intrapartum fever and the number or type of ST‐events. Conclusions Maternal intrapartum fever is not associated with ST‐segment changes of the fetal electrocardiogram. Interpretation of ST‐changes in labouring women with fever should therefore not differ from other situations.