Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring

Fetal heart rate monitoring affects the lives of millions of women and infants every year in the United States alone. Used by all members of the obstetric team - nurses, students, midwives, and physicians it is the primary method to assess fetal oxygenation in both the antepartum and intrapartum setting. Improving outcomes and promoting patient safety depends upon correct use and interpretation of fetal heart rate monitoring, and is crucial to daily obstetric practice. This fourth edition provides the obstetrical team a framework within which to interpret and understand fetal heart rate tracings and their implications. The text covers key issues as the physiological basis for monitoring, a discussion of fetal hypoxemia and neonatal encephalopathy, instrumentation and pattern recognition. In addition to an in-depth review of the standardized NICHD nomenclature and three-tiered FHR Category approach, there are chapters on intrapartum and antepartum management as well as fetal central nervous system effects on monitor patterns. Since fetal monitoring is primarily a screening tool there are also discussions on the use of backup methods for evaluation of abnormal patterns