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Comparative Study
. 2008 Feb;21(2):101-4.
doi: 10.1080/14767050701836792.

A comparison of subjective and mathematical estimations of fetal heart rate variability

Adam J Wolfberg  1 , David J Derosier, Trevor Roberts, Zeeshan Syed, Gari D Clifford, David Acker, Adre Du Plessis
Affiliations
Comparative Study

A comparison of subjective and mathematical estimations of fetal heart rate variability

Adam J Wolfberg et al. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2008 Feb.

Abstract

Objectives: To develop a computerized algorithm to quantify fetal heart rate (FHR) variability and compare it to perinatologists' interpretation of FHR variability.

Methods: FHR variability was calculated using data from 30 women who had a fetal scalp electrode placed for a clinical indication, and compared to the assessment of FHR variability from four perinatologists who interpreted paper tracings of the same data. Inter-rater reliability was calculated and receiver-operator curve analysis was done.

Results: Correlation between the computer algorithm's assessment of variability and the perinatologists' assessment (0.27-0.68) was similar to the inter-rater reliability between perinatologists (0.33-0.72).

Conclusions: A computer-based algorithm can assess FHR variability as well as expert clinicians.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Sample fetal heart rate tracing scored by expert perinatologists.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Receiver–operator characteristic analysis of fetal heart rate variability to distinguish minimal from moderate variability.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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