A woman who goes into the hospital because she’s in labor likely expects to have an uneventful labor and delivery. They count on the medical team to provide them with care that helps to protect the woman and the baby. One way this is done is through fetal monitoring.
Nurses and doctors can monitor the baby’s heartbeat externally or internally. Most women have the external monitoring because internal monitoring is more invasive and is only possible if the amniotic sac has ruptured.
Why is monitoring important?
Monitoring the baby is important because it’s the only way to determine how the baby is doing. Some babies start to show decelerations in their heart rate if they become too stressed, which is particularly likely during contractions.
A woman who isn’t considered high risk and who is early in labor may have intermittent monitoring, but that will likely increase in frequency as labor progresses. Throughout the entire process, it’s critical that the nurses and others caring for the woman pay close attention for signs of problems.
If a baby isn’t handling labor well, the medical team may need to provide the woman with oxygen, change her position or take her for a surgical delivery. Making this decision is only possible if the woman and her baby are monitored properly. Any missteps in monitoring, even if a deceleration isn’t noticed because the nurse is attending to another patient, can lead to significant problems.
If a failure to properly monitor the baby leads to problems, including conditions caused by lack of oxygen or fetal death, the woman may opt to pursue a compensation claim for the medical malpractice that occurred. These cases can be complex, so it may behoove victims to work with someone familiar with these matters. In some cases, the assistance of expert medical witnesses may be necessary.
