FETAL SCALP AND UMBILICAL ARTERY BLOOD LACTATE MEASURED WITH A NEW TEST STRIP METHOD

Objective To compare the measurement of lactate in fetal scalp and umbilical artery blood by a new dry reagent strip method with a commercially available enzymatic method using plasma (Monotest). Design Comparative study. Subjects Fetal scalp blood samples were obtained during labour from 24 fetuses and umbilical artery blood samples were obtained at birth in a further 51 deliveries. Results The connection of lactate in scalp and umbilical artery blood measured by the reagent strip method correlated well (r = 0.94, P < 0.001 and 0.95, P < 0.001 respectively) with the enzymatic plasma method. The paper strip method tended to give lower readings than the enzymatic method when the fetal haematocrit was greater-than-or-equal-to 50%. Conclusions The new dry reagent strip method which takes only 1 min to carry out and requires only 20-mu-l of blood seems to be handy and reliable. This system provides a convenient and rapid test for measuring fetal blood lactate.