Electronic Fetal Heart Monitoring: Why It Is Done

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Why It Is Done

External fetal heart monitoring is done to:

• Keep track of your baby's heart rate.
• Measure how often you have a contraction and how long your contractions last during labor and delivery.
• Find out whether you are having preterm labor.
• Check on your baby's health if problems are suspected. External fetal heart monitoring will be done during a nonstress test to check your baby's heart rate while at rest and while moving. If your baby does not move during this test, more testing will be needed.
• Check on your placenta to make sure that it is giving your baby enough oxygen. A contraction stress test that shows that your baby is not getting enough oxygen helps your doctor make decisions about the safest delivery method. If the test shows that your baby may be in danger, your doctor may recommend starting (inducing) labor early or may talk to you about doing a cesarean section (C-section).
• Check your baby's health if your baby has not been growing normally (delayed fetal growth) or if you have diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), or are over 41 weeks pregnant.

Internal fetal heart monitoring is done to:

• Find out whether the stress of labor is threatening your baby's health.
• Measure the strength and duration of your labor contractions.

Last updated:	June 28, 2008
Author:	Sandy Jocoy, RN
Reviewed By:	Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine, Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC