Abstract
Electronic fetal monitoring refers to the use of medical equipment that has the ability to detect, record, analyse and present the records of the fetal heart rate changes with time. It is used in current practice to monitor the fetal heart rate when there is concern that fetal hypoxia may occur. The commonest form is the CardioTocoGraphy. The basic features of the CardioTocoGraphy are the baseline fetal heart rate, the baseline variability, acceleration, deceleration and the tocogram/uterine contraction. A combination of these basic features gives the diagnosis when it is performed.
The physiological regulation of the fetal heart rate and the factors affecting these, causes of abnormal fetal heart rates, indication for the antenatal and intrapartum cardiotocography, normal and abnormal features, clinical implications of the findings and the management options following abnormal findings are discussed. In addition, the procedure for its conduct and guidelines for deployment in Low and Middle Income Countries is proposed. It is stressed that CardioTocoGraphy is a screening tool and not diagnostic and there is need for training and retraining to obtain optimum benefit of its diagnostic potential while limiting its drawbacks.
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Further Reading
Ayres-de-Campos D, Spong CY, Chandraharan E, Byaruhanga R, EhighaEnabudoso JA, Mirza F, et al. FIGO consensus guidelines on intrapartum fetal monitoring: Cardiotocography. IJGO. 2015;131(1):13–24.
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Enabudoso, E. (2021). Electronic Fetal Monitoring. In: Okonofua, F., Balogun, J.A., Odunsi, K., Chilaka, V.N. (eds) Contemporary Obstetrics and Gynecology for Developing Countries . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75385-6_15
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