Vibroacoustic stimulation
Vibroacoustic stimulation (VAS), sometimes referred to as fetal vibroacoustic stimulation or fetal acoustic stimulation test (FAST), is the application of a vibratory sound stimulus to the abdomen of a pregnant woman to induce FHR (fetal heart rate) accelerations. The presence of FHR accelerations reliably predicts the absence of fetal metabolic acidemia. Vibroacoustic stimulation is typically used during a nonstress test (NST).[1][2]
In 2013, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews concluded that there was insufficient evidence from randomized trials to support its use to assess fetal well-being in labor.[3] A related Cochrane Review, however, concluded that its use in antenatal testing did reduce the incidence of non-reactive cardiotocography and the overall testing time.[4]
References
- Chervenak, Frank A.; Kurjak, Asim (2006). Textbook of Perinatal Medicine, Second Edition (Two Volumes). Informa Healthcare. p. 963. ISBN 1-84214-333-6.
- Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (2005). Audrey Lyndon, Linda Usher Ali (ed.). Fetal Heart Monitoring: Principles and Practices (3rd ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-7575-6234-1.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- East, C. E.; Smyth, R. M.; Leader, L. R.; Henshall, N. E.; Colditz, P. B.; Lau, R.; Tan, K. H. (2013). East, Christine E (ed.). "Vibroacoustic stimulation for fetal assessment in labour in the presence of a nonreassuring fetal heart rate trace" (PDF). The Cochrane Library. 1: CD004664. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004664.pub3. PMID 23440793.
- Tan, K. H.; Smyth, R. M.; Wei, X. (2013). Tan, Kelvin H (ed.). "Fetal vibroacoustic stimulation for facilitation of tests of fetal wellbeing". The Cochrane Library. 12: CD002963. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD002963.pub2. PMID 24318543.