Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring is commonly used to assess fetal well-being during labor. Although detection of fetal compromise is one benefit of fetal monitoring, there are also risks, including false-positive tests that may result in unnecessary surgical intervention. Since variable and inconsistent interpretation of fetal heart rate tracings may affect management, a systematic approa...

Objective: We tested if fetal pulse oximetry in addition to electronic fetal monitoring (CTG) and scalp blood sampling improves the accuracy of fetal assessment and allows safe reduction of operative deliveries ( 50%) and scalp blood sampling ( 50%) performed because of nonreassuring fetal status. Study design: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 146 patients with term pregnancies in...

As fetal electronic monitoring has become a routine practice in modern obstetric units, rapid and accurate Interpretation of the cardiotocograph tracings has become important. Decreased fetal heart rate (FHR) variability is the most constant finding observed in severe fetal distress in the ante partum period. An experienced obstetrician, if acquainted with electronic monitoring, can recognize t...

Pulse oximetry (oxygen saturation monitoring) has markedly improved medical care in many fields, including anesthesiology, intensive care, and newborn intensive care. In obstetrics, fetal heart rate monitoring remains the standard for intrapartum assessment of fetal well being. Fetal oxygen saturation monitoring is a new technique currently under development. It is potentially superior to elect...