Electronic Fetal Monitoring

Electronic fetal monitoring records the fetal heart rate and, usually, uterine contractions during labor. Clinicians interpret the tracing over time, including baseline rate, variability, accelerations, decelerations, contraction patterns, and the response to interventions. A single segment rarely tells the whole story. In a birth injury investigation, fetal monitoring strips, nursing notes, medication records, delivery timing, cord gases, and expert interpretation can help reconstruct what the care team knew and how it responded.