Non-Reassuring Fetal Heart Rate Patterns and Key Contributing Factors in West Guji Zone, Southern Ethiopia: Facility-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns refer to specific alterations in the fetal heartbeat during labor or pregnancy, suggesting that the baby may not be receiving adequate oxygen. Globally, non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns during labor contribute to maternal and neonatal mortality. In this study, the prevalence of non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns and their related key risk factors among laboring mothers were examined. Methods: A cross-sectional, facility-based study was conducted between April 15 and June 15, 2024, at the West Guji Hospital, Oromia, Ethiopia. Data were collected from 361 women in labor who were systematically selected. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify statistically significant variables associated with the outcome. A p-value less than 0.05, a adjusted odds ratio, and 95% confidence intervals were used to declare statistically significant variables. Results: The study found that the prevalence of non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns among laboring women was 21.6% (n = 78; 95% CI: 17.5-26.2). Key risk factors significantly linked to non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns were women referred from other facilities (AOR = 5.19, 95% CI = 2.27-11.90), blood-stained amniotic fluid (AOR = 3.55, 95% CI = 1.44-8.68), meconium-stained amniotic fluid (AOR = 3.87, 95% CI = 1.68-8.89), women undergoing labor augmentation (AOR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.06-4.83), and women experiencing prolonged labor (AOR = 2.73, 95% CI = 1.17-6.38). Conclusion: Despite the use of intermittent auscultation for fetal heart rate assessment, the prevalence of non-reassuring patterns was notably higher than that reported in previous studies. Factors significantly associated with these patterns included being a referred case, the presence of blood-stained or meconium-stained amniotic fluid, labor augmentation, and prolonged labor. This study highlights the importance of closely monitoring and timely intervention in women with these risk factors.