Remote and home-based fetal heart rate monitoring for fetal surveillance compared with conventional in-person monitoring: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Murat Erden, Erkan Kalafat, Ismael Jones et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the safety and obstetric outcomes of remote fetal heart rate monitoring compared to conventional in-person monitoring in 1,813 pregnancies. The analysis found no significant differences in 5-minute Apgar scores <7 (pooled risk ratio 1.01) or cesarean delivery rates (pooled risk ratio 1.09), indicating comparable outcomes between the two monitoring methods.
Key findings
- Pooled risk ratio for 5-minute Apgar scores <7 was 1.01 (95% CI, 0.73-1.39).
- Pooled risk ratio for cesarean delivery was 1.09 (95% CI, 0.94-1.26).
- Six trials reported on Apgar scores, involving 1,648 pregnancies.
- All eight trials reported cesarean delivery outcomes, encompassing 1,813 pregnancies.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that remote fetal heart rate monitoring may provide similar perinatal safety as conventional methods, which could enhance access and convenience for patients. Clinicians should weigh these outcomes against other factors like patient satisfaction and healthcare resource utilization.
What to keep in mind
Several trials included in the analysis had a high risk of bias, and neonatal outcomes beyond Apgar scores were inconsistently reported.