A woman who is in labor will sometimes have a say in what types of interventions she has to deal with. In some cases, fetal monitoring is one of the factors that must be determined. Some women can choose to have intermittent monitoring, while others will need continual monitoring.
It’s imperative to learn the importance of fetal monitoring during labor. This is one of the only ways that the medical team can monitor how the baby is responding to the contractions.
What does fetal monitoring do?
Fetal monitoring is done by attaching a sensor to the outside of the woman’s abdomen so the nurses or midwife can watch when contractions occur and how the baby’s heart is handling the stress. In some cases, the heart rate is monitored with a Doppler device, similar to what’s used at doctor appointments. When an accurate reading of the baby’s heart rate can’t be found, an internal monitor that’s attached to the baby’s scalp might be used.
If the medical staff notices problems with the baby’s heart rate during contractions or any point during labor, they may ask the woman to switch positions, administer oxygen or recommend a surgical delivery. These decisions are sometimes made swiftly, but taking too long could be detrimental to the baby’s health, and sometimes to the mother’s health.
Birth injuries are traumatic for the parents and the baby. Anyone who is dealing with this should determine whether negligence played a role in it or not. If it did, seeking compensation for the damage related to the injury is possible. You should do this swiftly because New York law sets specific time limits for filing a case of this sort.