Telemedicine for home care of fetal growth restriction with mobile cardiotocography: A case series

ObjectiveModern technological advancements have made it possible to perform cardiotocography at home. Home-based management of high-risk pregnancies using a mobile cardiotocography system has been reported; however, its effectiveness in monitoring cases of fetal growth restriction (FGR) remains unclear. Therefore, the authors aimed to investigate the clinical usefulness of home-based telemedicine for FGR management using the mobile cardiotocography (iCTG). MethodsThe authors conducted a single-center, retrospective case series of patients with FGR. Seventeen women diagnosed with FGR were enrolled. Patients performed iCTG for 1 hour twice daily to examine their fetuses; data were uploaded and saved on the cloud. ResultsThe median and minimum compliance rates were 93.33 (interquartile range [IQR], 70.00-100.00 and 40.7, respectively). The median and minimum validity rates were 100.00 (IQR, 90.48-100.00) and 36.4, respectively. In this study, many of the patients were managed at home and underwent delivery as planned. However, three patients required emergency visits; one had a nonreassuring fetal status and underwent an emergency cesarean section. ConclusionEven when the fetal prognosis is good, careful pre-evaluation is required before initiating home care management. The current study shows that the economic burden of hospitalization for patients can be reduced by using iCTG.