[Preliminary study of the use of fetal pulse oximetry during labor].

Objective: To assess continuous monitoring of fetal blood oxygen staturation (SpO2) during labour using a fetal pulse oxymeter.

Study Design: Preliminary results obtained with the Nellcor N-400 fetal pulse oxymeter at the Maternité Port-Royal-Baudelocque between November 1992 and November 1993 in cases of abnormal fetal heart rate are presented. We analyzed: the correlation between SpO2 during labour and cord vein pH as well as Apgar score, the correlation between changes in SpO2, expressed as a desaturation index, and cord vein pH as well as Apgar score.