Fetal Monitoring During Labor-Topic Overview
Fetal Monitoring During Labor-Topic Overview
Fetal Monitoring During Labor Guide
Sometimes the baby's heartbeat can be checked without wires. This method would allow you to walk around during labor. But it's not available everywhere. And it might not work if you walk too far away or if the device falls off while you're walking.
Internal monitoring is only done in certain situations during labor. A thin wire from the sensor is placed through your vagina and cervix into your uterus. It's attached to your baby's scalp.
Monitoring at set times (intermittent) is an option in a low-risk pregnancy. Low-risk means that you and your baby have no known health problems and the pregnancy has gone well.
Doctors advise monitoring throughout labor (continuous) in a high-risk pregnancy. High risk might mean, for example, that you have preeclampsia or type 1 diabetes or that your baby has a health problem. A pregnancy can become high risk during labor when a problem occurs. Then the baby's heartbeat would be checked all the time.
If you choose to have epidural pain relief, you will have monitoring all the time in labor.
Your doctor's preference also can affect what type of monitoring you have. Talk with your doctor about what he or she usually uses.
Fetal Monitoring During Labor - Topic Overview
Fetal Monitoring During Labor Guide
How is it done? continued...
Sometimes the baby's heartbeat can be checked without wires. This method would allow you to walk around during labor. But it's not available everywhere. And it might not work if you walk too far away or if the device falls off while you're walking.
Internal monitoring is only done in certain situations during labor. A thin wire from the sensor is placed through your vagina and cervix into your uterus. It's attached to your baby's scalp.
When might you have each type of monitoring?
Monitoring at set times (intermittent) is an option in a low-risk pregnancy. Low-risk means that you and your baby have no known health problems and the pregnancy has gone well.
Doctors advise monitoring throughout labor (continuous) in a high-risk pregnancy. High risk might mean, for example, that you have preeclampsia or type 1 diabetes or that your baby has a health problem. A pregnancy can become high risk during labor when a problem occurs. Then the baby's heartbeat would be checked all the time.
If you choose to have epidural pain relief, you will have monitoring all the time in labor.
Your doctor's preference also can affect what type of monitoring you have. Talk with your doctor about what he or she usually uses.
What are the benefits of each type of monitoring?
Intermittent
- You aren't attached to wires all the time. So you can leave the bed and walk around during labor.
- It can reassure you and your partner that the labor is going well.
- It can show the doctor or nurse-midwife that labor can go on at its own pace.
Continuous
- It can reassure you and your partner that the labor is going well.
- It can show a problem right away.
What are the risks of each type of monitoring?
Intermittent
- This kind of monitoring is very safe. But there is a chance that a problem might not be found right away.
Continuous
- You can't move around much, unless you have wireless monitoring.
- Changes in the baby's heartbeat might suggest that there's a problem when there isn't one. Studies show that monitoring may be linked to an increase in cesarean deliveries and in the use of a vacuum or forceps during delivery.1 Monitoring doesn't cause a cesarean. But it does show all the changes in the baby's heartbeat. Some of those changes might be a sign of a problem. But some of them might not mean anything is wrong. A doctor has to interpret those results. The doctor might suggest a cesarean if he or she is concerned about something during monitoring.