Is it safe to labor without an electronic fetal monitor?
Repeated studies have shown the answer to this question to be “Yes” – if you have had a normal, healthy pregnancy. The CNM and nurse will intermittently listen to the baby’s heart with a hand-held doppler. If any abnormalities are heard, they will listen continuously and transfer if they think there is any danger to the baby. Studies have shown that in a normal population, this routine is as safe as a fetal monitor. Clinical trials have also failed to show that continuous electronic fetal monitoring results in healthier babies, except when limited to women and fetuses known to be at high risk. It is clear, however, that continuous electronic fetal monitoring does result in a higher cesarean section rate.
