Has anyone chosen not to have a fetal heart monitor during labour?
I’ve read that the insertion of a fetal heart monitor during labour can cause the doctors and nurses to be overly sensitive to the baby’s natural variations in heartrate – and in turn increase the incidence of cesarian section – because they’re concerned that the baby is in distress.
I trust doctors and nurses. I don’t want to interfere in their work, but, I’d like to request that anything that isn’t necessary be excluded from my labour experience.
I’d like to have as natural a birth as possible in the hospital. I’m considering asking that the doctor refrain from using the fetal heart monitor – has anyone done this?
Thanks!
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I am having intermittent EFM (electronic fetal monitoring)…
I am slightly confused as with EFM there it really isn’t inserted anywhere…it is usually attached to you via elastic belts with sensors on your belly…Unless you are having “Internal” EFM, which they usually only use as a last result, when there are already problems present.
I do agree with you.
“EFM’s high false-positive rate also reinforces belief that it works. “Fetal distress” appears, the obstetrician performs a cesarean or forceps delivery, the baby is born healthy, and everybody thinks that EFM saved the baby-only, of course, the baby was fine all along.”
The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer Pg. 89
EFM has also shown to significantly raise your risk of having a cesarean section…
Some good books to check out are:
“The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth” and “Obstetric Myth Versus Research Reality” both by Henci Goer.
Some hospitals offer what is called a Telemetry EFM, where you are not attached to machines via cords, it is a remote system…But it still has the same flaws and draw backs as false-positives are high with any type of “constant” fetal monitoring.
I will be hooked up to EFM for 10-20 minutes of each hour or so…and they will also listen with a Doppler device, like they use at the prenatal appointments. (I am trying for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).). I for many reasons including the argument against EFM, have chosen to plan a homebirth, with a LM, Licensed Midwife…(I have a back up OB & hospital, should I need to transfer.)
You have every right to refuse EFM and ask for what is called ‘intermittent auscultation’…where they will listen every now and then usually with a handheld Doppler device. You may have to fight with the Dr., nurses, & or hospital policies, but you have the right to refuse any and all procedures you do not want. They may require you to sign a paper called an AMA (against medical advice) saying you have been made aware of all the risks, and choose to waive your rights.
When you say “natural birth” I assume you know there is a difference between “Natural” & “vaginal”…especially given your opinion on EFM. Please know that truly Natural delivery occurs in less than 4% of births in the US. Homebirths, which by nature are entirely natural births account for 1% of all births in the US. So probably only about 3% of natural birth occurs in hospitals and birthing centers. That means the other 96% of all birth occurring in the US are in some way, managed. When you consider that 33% of all births in the US are c-sections…it is easy to see that just by choosing a hospital birth you run a significantly higher chance of NOT having a natural birth. I would never tell a woman where to have her baby, which is an extremely personal choice, and one not to be decided lightly.
I highly recommend renting the movie/documentary The Business of Being Born from Netflix.com.
To also increase your odds of a Natural-Hospital birth, I highly recommend hiring a doula. A trained professional labor support person, who knows the ins & outs of normal natural labor as well as knowing a bit about the hospital policies and the pro’s & con’s of hospital intervention.
I suggest reading the books I mentioned above, if you haven’t done so already…as well as this one:
Birthing From Within by Pam England & Rob Horowitz
They have a web site as well & offer classes:
http://www.birthingfromwithin.com/
Feel free to email me.
I know plenty of people who have. It’s not a necessary part of labor unless there have been previous complications.
Not sure where your from, but the fetal heart monitor that was used on me was actually on my belly not anyway inserted in me. The nurses and dr. did not stress over it at all and they couldn’t really tell the heart rate anyway, and I had a perfectly healthy baby normal!
No, I have not . I had the monitor with both my children.
I have no idea what kind of fetal heart monitor can be inserted anywhere!!!
Mine was a simple, non-invasive belt around my belly and i was glad it was there. If my baby is in distress or if there is a problem, my baby’s safety is my first priority.
There are two different kinds of fetal monitors. External and Internal. External are fine they just wrap it around you. I had to have both during my delivery. I would prob say no to Internal one if I have another baby. They adapt it to the baby’s head and then I had to have a vaccum delivery. I felt that they were being to rough to my baby’s head
I haven’t done it, but I’m thinking about it too. I’m 36 weeks and just had to go to the hospital to have my blood pressure checked. The stuck a monitor on my belly to make sure the boy was alright. OOOOH did he HATE IT! He squirmed and kicked like I have never seen him move before! It’s like the sound in the womb was too much for him! I’ve heard continuous fetal monitoring can lead to a higher likelihood of a cesarean too. I can see why! He’s more likely to switch positions to get away from the monitor.
If you want to do it as naturally as possible than do it…it’s your right, and your body, and your baby…..from my experience they don’t usually use internal heart monitoring unless there is a reason, usually it’s the belt thing on the outside of your tummy one for contractions, and one for fetal heartrate….with my son I had an internal one, with my daughter I did not. I think if you just tell them like you said nothing unnessicary they will respect that.
I didn’t have a fetal heart monitor for either of my labours.
I believe that natural is the way to go, as well.
the fetal heart monitor just sits on your stomach and it helped me alot knowing that my little girl was still OK because she stopped moving around about a day before delivery, but she had a strong heart and was getting"excited" when I started pushing, IE her heart rate went up but the just watched it they never said the words c section to me.
But if it’s what you want then you should be fine. they may have you wear one for the first hour and then take it off as soon as they know your baby is OK.
When you refer to "insertion" of the monitor you mean the internal lead right? They do have fetal monitors that simply strap on to your belly. They won’t use an internal lead unless your water has already broken, and they aren’t getting a good reading from the external monitor and the internal monitor gives them a much more accurate reading. I worked in labor and delivery for several years and never saw an increase in c section rates due to monitoring.
I personally think that whatever they need to do to help you have a healthy baby is always the best way to go. I do understand the idea of a "birth plan" and whatnot….but in the end I think having a healthy baby is the more important the the "natural" experience.
Some physicians will allow intermittent monitoring…but I’ve never met a safe doc that will allow no monitoring at all.
Edit: I’m not sure what the thumbs down on my answer are about…….BUT….I do have to say that the women who are more concerned about the "natural birth experience" rather than simply delivering a healthy baby are WHACKED. I do understand wanting to have things a "certain way", however, I cannot accept the idea that someone could possibly be interested in risking the wellbeing of their child in order to have what they idealize as the "natural birth experience" or to simply save themselves from having a c section.
I think that you should use it because of the possibility that you really need a cesarian section, but explain to the doctor your views and concerns.
Good luck
I assume your referring to the internal fetal heart monitor? You can refuse..but they only advise when necessary..you have no choice on the external as im sure you know..but the internal is much more accurate esp. if your induced!
ETA ~ you have no choice on the external..they have to be able to monitor that baby during contractions to make sure his heart rate isnt in decels!!
HI, I DID have this moniter done on 2 of my 5 kids. They just hook it on top of the babies head to get a Very accurate reading of the heart-beat. They will do this when they seem to think the baby is in disstress, or your water has been broken for more than it should be. It’s just to really pay attention to that Baby while going through birth. It dosnt harm the baby or leave a mark. It’s just like a cork screw kinda looking thing that goes right on-top of the head. Im sure you wont need to have this done but, the outside baby moniters will be on & off to keep a check of how your baby is doing during labor. Thats all. Its normal & will not interfear with your natural Birth. It didnt for me.
I wish you the BEST of luck with your new Baby & hope everything goes the way you are planning your birth.
Congrats & Good Luck
HUGS xxxxxxx ~Dee(mom of 5)
I agree with Trix. The fetal heart monitor they use where I am from just goes around your belly, not inside of you.
I did not have the internal monitor or the electronic fetal monitor. They used a fetascope instead. You’re right, the electronic monitor is known to increase the c-sec rate. In addition, it does not improve the infant mortality rate. I have had four with no electronic monitor. I had to go to a birth center because here, in Indiana, the hospitals insist upon the monitor. The hospitals in your area may insist upon the monitor also, check it out. The pregnant patient’s bill of rights says that you have the right to refuse a medical procedure if you do not like the risks involved. I used the Bradley method with all of mine. Part of the Bradley method is no electronic monitor, no routine episiotomy, and being allowed to eat during labor. My last labor was 33 hours, I would have starved if I had fasted all that time.