When might an internal fetal monitor be used during labor and delivery?

Описание: You had a question about internal monitors that are used on Labor & Delivery. And generally speaking, when a woman comes into Labor & Delivery, 2 monitors are used externally on the woman's stomach to monitor the pattern of the baby's heart rate and the pattern of her contractions. But there are times when more accurate information is necessary, and this can be gained by using internal monitors that go up inside the woman's body and monitor the pattern of the baby's heart rate and the woman's contractions. The external monitors have some limitations. The monitor that watches the pattern of the baby's heart rate is dependent on the mother's position and the baby's position, so if the mother is moving around a lot or the baby is moving around a lot, it may be difficult to pick up the pattern of the heart rate. And the pattern of the heart rate is the best test we have while the woman is in labor to determine how well oxygenated a baby is, and so it's important to watch this pattern.

And if the doctor or nurse are having a hard time determining the baby's heart rate pattern, then the doctor will recommend the use of an internal monitor that can pick up the pattern of the baby's heart rate whether the mother is moving, or the baby is moving, or not. And it's also used if the baby's heart rate pattern is dipping and if the doctor or nurse want to know exactly what's going on with the baby. This monitor is called a Fetal Spiral Electrode.

And the second monitor that can be placed inside is called an intrauterine pressure catheter, or an IUPC. And it replaces the contraction monitor that was on the woman's belly and actually measures the intensity of each contraction on the monitor. And so in other words, if this monitor is in place, you can look at the screen and actually determine the intensity of the contractions, and the nurse can determine if the woman is having an adequate contraction pattern. So this monitor is used if they're not able to pick up contractions from the outside by using the external monitor or if the woman's cervix stops changing, because if you watch the pattern of the heart rate over time and the woman is having adequate contractions but then not changing her cervix, then the doctor starts to wonder if maybe the baby is not fitting. And another reason why this might be used is if the doctor wants to infuse fluid back up inside the uterus, and this can be done using this internal monitor.

In short, the use of internal monitors is determined by a doctor and it's very circumstantial. They're not used automatically during every labor and delivery process. And to specifically answer your question, an epidural alone is not an indication for using internal monitors. In most cases external monitors will do the trick, but sometimes internal monitors are warranted. If you have more specific questions about it, talk with your OB provider, and they'll be able to give you tailored information and advice. If you have more questions for me in the future, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at   / intermountainmoms  , and recommend us to your friends and family too.