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Most Commonly Used Forms Of Fetal Monitoring In The Labor Room

© Jaime Warren

Fetal Monitoring Systems are widely used in hospitals throughout the United States as a way to keep track of fetal heart tones, as well as any signs of distress. There are several different forms of fetal monitoring, some constrict the mother's movements, while others allow the laboring mother to move about freely. While these systems are excellent for keeping a continuos check on the fetus, they may also contribute to a higher Caesarean section rate for those mothers who have what is considered to be a low risk pregnancy. For high risk pregnancies, Fetal Monitoring is almost always used and needed.

There are several different types of Fetal Monitors used in both doctor's offices and hospitals. The most commonly used in the doctor's office is the Doppler. This monitoring system consists of a hand held device that picks up the baby's heart beat and then transmits it through a speaker.

Another commonly used device is the Fetoscope. The Fetoscope looks like a regular stethoscope, and can be used to detect the heart beat at about eighteen weeks. While the Doppler and Fetoscope aren't quite as popular as the other methods of Fetal Monitoring, they are an effective alternative measure for those laboring mothers who decide against other monitoring methods.

One of the most popular methods is Electronic Fetal Monitoring, in which a belt like strap is wrapped around the mother's entire belly, and provides constant monitoring of fetal heart tones and the mother's contractions. This system is a lot like an EKG, in that it produces a constant paper strip that has the fetal heart tones and contractions printed on it.

While the Electronic Fetal Monitoring method provides the hospital staff and doctors with an excellent resource of prior heart tones and contractions it also greatly reduces the mother's ability to move about, and can as a result, slow down the progression of labor. Electronic Fetal Monitoring is also prone to being read inaccurately, as sometimes the mother's heart rate is mistaken for the baby's heart rate and vice versa.

The most invasive form of Fetal Monitoring is Internal Monitoring, in which the mother must be two to three centimeters dilated, and the bag of waters is broken by performing a procedure known as an Amniotomy. An electrode is then placed into the baby's scalp. The risks of this monitoring are numerous, including a prolapsed cord from the Amniotomy, infection, and possible harm to the baby.

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