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Table 11 Impact of vibroacoustic stimulation on stillbirth and perinatal outcomes

From: Reducing stillbirths: screening and monitoring during pregnancy and labour

Source

Location and Type of Study

Intervention

Stillbirths/Perinatal Outcomes

Reviews and meta-analyses

Tan and Smyth 2001 [102]

Australia, USA, Mexico, Greece, Turkey, Thailand.

Meta-analysis (Cochrane). 8 RCTs included (N = 4838 women).

Compared the impact of fetal vibratory acoustic stimulation (intervention) vs. mock or no stimulation (controls).

Non-reactive antenatal cardiotocography test (7 RCTs): RR = 0.62 (95% CI: 0.52–0.74)

[176/2244 vs. 286/2239 in intervention vs. control groups, respectively.]

PMR (2 RCTs): RR = 0.32 (95% CI: 0.01–7.78) [NS]

[0/476 vs. 1/464 in intervention vs. control groups, respectively].

Intervention studies

Papadopoulos et al. 2007 [103]

Greece.

RCT. Pregnant women (N = 2833).

Compared the effect of vibroacoustic stimulation with a 3-s stimulus with an artificial larynx (repeated if BPP remained abnormal for 30 min; intervention) vs. no stimulation (controls).

Fetal death (miscarriage+SB): 10/1349 (0.74%) vs. 9/1484 (0.6%) in intervention vs. control groups, respectively [NS]

Petrovic 1998. [178]

Croatia.

RCT. Singleton pregnancies (N = 494; N = 168 intervention, N = 326 controls).

Groups were monitored using the modified BPP; given vibroacoustic stimulation in absence of fetal activity at the start of the BPP.

Compared the impact of vibroacoustic stimulation (intervention) vs. no stimulation (controls).

SBR: 2/168 vs. 4/326 in intervention vs. control groups, respectively.

Sood 2007 [104]

India.

RCT. Singleton high-risk pregnancies (N = 214).

Compared the effect of vibroacoustic stimulation (intervention) vs. mock stimulation (controls). Both arms also had modified BPP conducted.

PMR: OR = 0.62 (95% CI: 0.05–5.57) [NS]

[2/110 (1.8%) vs. 3/104 (2.9%) in intervention vs. control groups, respectively.

Observational studies

Salamalekis et al. 1994 [179]

Greece.

Case series. High-risk pregnancies (N = 180).

Compared the association with fetal deaths of reactive (study group) vs. non reactive (controls) NST results for tests conducted 24 hrs before delivery.

Fetal death (miscarriage+SB): 1 (0.67%) vs. 2 (6.25%) in intervention vs. control groups, respectively.