Fetal Monitoring

What is Fetal Monitoring?

• Electronic fetal heart monitoring may be done during the pregnancy, labor and or delivery to keep track of the baby's heart rate and the strength and duration of contractions.

What happens during fetal monitoring?

• Fetal monitoring can be done by using a special stethoscope to listen to your baby's heart rate.

• More often, fetal monitoring is completed by using two sensors that are attached to elastic belts on your belly. One sensor keeps track of your baby's heart rate and the other measures your contractions.

• A recording machine is connected to the sensors and may be recorded or heard as a beeping sound. Generally the frequency and duration of the contractions are printed out.