Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring is an electronic mechanism used to monitor the condition of the fetus during labor and delivery by monitoring the fetus’s heart rate with special equipment. Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring helps the clinicians detect changes in the normal heart rate pattern during labor. If certain changes are detected, steps can be taken to help treat the underlying problem, including intrauterine resuscitative measures or expedited delivery. Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring is used to reassure the patient and the obstetrician, midwife, or nurse that it is safe to continue labor if no other problems are present or to move toward expedited delivery if persistent problems are not corrected.
Abnormal fetal heart rate patterns usually mean there is a problem with the oxygenation to the baby from the placenta. If there is an abnormal fetal heart rate pattern, the obstetrician, midwife, or nurse will attempt to find the cause through the use of intrauterine resuscitative measures. As their name implies, these measures are taken to improve oxygenation to the fetus. Examples of measures that are taken to help the fetus get more oxygen include maternal change of position, administration of oxygen to the mother, or cessation of induction medications such as oxytocin. If these measures do not improve fetal well-being, or if further test results suggest the fetus has a problem, the obstetrician may decide to deliver right away via cesarean section birth or with forceps or vacuum-assisted delivery. Expedited delivery is often required to protect the baby from harm.