When a woman goes into a labor center or hospital in labor, her vitals are monitored, but she’s not the only patient. The labor team also has to ensure the baby is stable throughout labor and delivery. This is done through fetal monitoring, which can occur externally in most cases, but internal monitoring is also possible.
The goal of fetal monitoring is to determine how the baby is tolerating labor. During each contraction, oxygen delivery and blood flow to the baby can shift in ways that negatively affect the baby. In some cases, these instances are manageable with treatments like moving the mother or providing supportive oxygen.
What happens with fetal monitoring?
Fetal monitoring is usually done by placing a monitor on the mother’s abdomen to check the baby’s heart rate. Another monitor keeps track of contractions. This allows the labor and delivery team to see the baby’s reaction to the contractions and relaxation of the uterus.
If the fetal heart monitor shows that the baby’s heart rate is decelerating during contractions, the woman may be repositioned to determine if the issue was the umbilical cord being compressed.
If the fetal heart rate continues to decelerate or isn’t recovering between contractions, the woman may need an emergency Caesarean section, which is a surgical delivery. The only way that these issues can be caught and addressed is if the fetal monitoring is occurring properly.
It’s possible that babies and mothers can suffer from irreversible harm if issues occur during labor and delivery. If those issues were the result of improper monitoring or any sort of medical negligence, a legal claim may be in order. Working with someone who can assist with this is beneficial because these cases can be complex.