Evaluation of the 'SensPoint' Lactate Meter in the Estimation of Foetal Scalp Blood and Umbilical Cord Blood Lactate

A cardiotocograph (CTG) can be used in labour to assess the heartbeat and well-being of a baby. An abnormal CTG may be a sign that a baby has low oxygen levels (hypoxia) and is becoming distressed. In this situation a blood test can be taken from the scalp of the baby. A high lactate level in the blood indicates that urgent delivery is required to prevent long-term harm to the newborn. SensPoint is a new medical device that measures lactate. It has several potential benefits over the current method of measuring lactate in that it is a portable hand-held device (allowing for use in the delivery room), requires a much smaller volume of blood and produces results more quickly than the current method of measuring lactate. Before a new device is adopted into clinical practice, it is important that it is first confirmed that it is accurate and reliable for its intended use. This study will evaluate the ability of the SensPoint device to accurately and reliably detect lactate in fetal and umbilical cord blood by comparing its performance to the reference device currently in use.