Episode 18: Internal Fetal Monitoring

There are many options for monitoring the health and well-being of the baby during labor. External monitors monitor the baby’s heart rate from the outside. Internal fetal monitoring records the baby’s heart rate from the inside.

When there are concerns about how the baby responds to labor, an internal monitor called a fetal scalp electrode is often used.

Internal monitoring is a method of monitoring a baby from the inside. It’s also a more accurate method of monitoring the beat-to-beat variability of the baby’s heart rate during labor.

As doulas, we don’t subscribe to the philosophy that all intervention is bad. As a result, we see the internal fetal monitor as a tool. Experience has shown us that it is a tool that allows more time and opportunity for a vaginal birth to take place.

Understanding how internal fetal monitoring is applied and what information it can provide is an important part of informed decision-making.

Join us as we explore the how and why of internal fetal monitoring during labor and birth.