Cardiotocography (CTG) is a procedure of graphically (graphy) recording fetal heart activity (cardio) and uterine contraction (toco)- both recorded in the same time scale simultaneously and continuously through uterine quiescence and contraction.
Though originally designed to monitor the fetus during labour so as to see how it performed on the face of the circulatory stress brought about by uterine contraction (see later), the scope of the method has now been widely enlarged to include the antenatal period as well where uterine contraction is not a factor except when it is artificially generated just for the test as in contraction stress rest. (Caldeyro-Barcia and Alvarez, 1952; Hon EH, 1959; Cunningham et al, 2001).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Caldeyro-Barcia, R Alvarez HJ. Obstet Gynaec Brit Emp 1952;59:646.
- Cunningham FG, Gant NF, et al. Williams Obstetrics, 21st edn, McGraw-Hill. New York: 2001;332–60:1100–04.
- Hon EH. Obstet Gynec 1959;14:154.