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Home › Articles › Birth Procedures › Fetal Monitors

Fetal Monitors

A Necessary Part of Delivery?

By Teri Brown

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In spite of scientific evidence that shows that electronic fetal monitoring does not improve outcomes, it isn't likely that doctors or hospitals will stop requiring it any time soon.

Types of Fetal Monitoring
  • External fetal monitors are strapped around Mom's belly with a large Velcro belt. Sensors detect the baby's heart rate and the strength of Mom's contractions and transmit them to a machine.
  • Internal fetal monitors use a small wire inserted through the vaginal canal and attached to the baby's scalp. They give an accurate readout of the baby's heart rate and can tell the doctors if the baby is stressed.
  • The Doppler is a handheld device that uses ultrasound technology to transmit the baby's heartbeat to the doctor via earphones.
  • Telemetry uses radio waves from a transmitter on the mother's thigh and sends out the baby's heartbeat to the nurse's station. This new technology allows the mother to walk around during labor, but is not yet widely available.

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