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Pregnancy Tests -
Baby
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Fetal Monitoring.My doctor mentioned fetal monitoring during labor and delivery. What is it?
In many hospitals, a baby's heartbeat is monitored throughout labor to detect any problems early so they can be resolved.
What kind of monitoring do they do?
There are two types of fetal monitoring during labor—external fetal monitoring and internal fetal monitoring.
What is external fetal monitoring?
A belt with a receiver is strapped to your abdomen, and it records the baby's heartbeat. This type of monitoring can be done before your membranes rupture.
What is internal fetal monitoring?
It is a more precise method of monitoring the baby. An electrode is placed on the fetal scalp to give a more exact reading of the fetal heart rate than external monitoring can. Your membranes must be ruptured for internal monitoring.
Is there any way to monitor my baby's oxygen during labor?
Yes! We can now monitor baby's oxygen inside the womb, before birth. A new technology uses light to measure the oxygen level in fetal blood, accurately indicating whether baby's oxygen levels are in a safe range. A probe is placed inside the womb and on baby's skin. This relatively noninvasive approach, called OxiFirst fetal oxygen monitoring, is used during labor.
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