There are two ways to perform the monitoring of the fetal heartbeat. We can include in our Delivery Plan What type of monitoring do we prefer? One is external, when two captors are placed on the belly held by two straps. The internal monitoring, which gives more accurate data, but is an aggression to the baby as a sensor is stuck in his scalp.
Until very recently it was a widespread practice to carry out fetal cardiac monitoring continuously. The argument that supported the obligatory nature of this practice was the assumption that it was the safest way to ensure fetal well-being.
However, current studies indicate that there are no real advantages in this, and that, provided there are no obvious signs of problems in the fetus, this type of monitoring, which prevents freedom of movement and can increase the mothers' concern, is counterproductive and can negatively influence the natural process of childbirth. Despite this, continuous fetal monitoring remains common in many maternity hospitals. It has unquestionable advantages in risk births but in normal ones it keeps the woman immobile in bed during the whole process and a sufficient number of false positives are registered to advise against it. It is not uncommon for a lower heart rate to be recorded if the woman is lying on her back for a long time. And there is no scientific evidence to indicate that doing it intermittently has a reflection on the safety of childbirth.
The intermittent auscultation It has shown good results in low-risk deliveries. A dopler device or a trumpet can be used but it is necessary that the Hospital has one midwife per parturient, which is undoubtedly the ideal figure and is achieved in other countries such as England ...
You can perform a intermittent fetal monitoring, leaving periods of freedom of movement to women between one and another monitoring. It is usually done every 20 or 30 minutes.
Always keeping in mind that it may be necessary to conduct studies such as the measurement of the baby's blood ph when fetal distress is feared, you can include in your Delivery Plan your desire not to be subjected to internal monitoring or continuous by custom.
