Fetal monitoring is a common procedure used during labor to assess the well-being of the fetus. It involves the use of an electronic fetal monitor (EFM) to track the fetal heart rate and uterine contractions.
The EFM produces a tracing that shows the fetal heart rate (FHR) and the uterine contractions. The FHR is measured in beats per minute (bpm), and the uterine contractions are measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). The tracing can be used to identify patterns that may indicate fetal distress, such as a decrease in FHR or an increase in uterine contractions.
