Fetal Monitoring and Neonatal Death Rates

Author:
  • AHAndre E. Hellegers
    Andre E. Hellegers
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The study by Neutra et al. in this issue of the Journal continues a debate that has been ongoing in this decade. It concerns the value of electronic fetal monitoring in labor. The issue was recently the subject of hearings before a Senate subcommittee.In theory electronic fetal heart monitoring makes good sense. Before its development the fetal heart rate was examined with a fetoscope. Rates of less than 100 or more than 160 per minute were held to denote fetal distress. It was also realized that compression of the fetal head, as during labor contractions, could slow the fetal . . .