EFM helps a nurse to monitor baby during all stages of labor. Unfortunately society is led to believe that it is a machine that tells doctors when the baby is in trouble and needs to be rescued, unfortunately that is not it at all. When studies were done, the results were striking!
Routine EFM confers NO demonstratable benefit to the fetus, yet poses a significantly increased risk of operative delivery either through cesarean or through forceps. After two decades of using EFM it has not been shown to be superior to intermittent. (listening w/ a doppler at set time intervals as would be done at home).
Secondly, there is not much correlation between baby’s heart rate during labor and the condition of the baby at birth. Few babies diagnosed with fetal distress are born in a poor condition.
As said previously, doctors love to consider labor to be a medical event. That is why EFM is so wonderful to them because it is such high tech equipment. Doctors are really just scared and use them for liability purposes.
Not only does EFM not improve outcomes but often make them worse.
EFM is basically a box that shows the heart rate and contraction patterns. Belts are strapped on mommy. With internal monitoring for baby the lower belt on mommy is replaced by a wire that plugs into a small box strapped to your thigh. Leads from the box then into the monitor. The wire ends in a thin, stiff, sharply pointed spiral needle. This is then placed up under the baby’s scalp and twists to anchor it and keep it from coming loose. Hmm…Ill pass how about you?
Ways to avoid problems of EFM:
1. Have a homebirth. =)
2. Avoid using it.
3. Refuse internal EFM.
4. Refuse contraction monitoring.
5. Don’t have an epidural.
6. Don’t allow EFM to keep you from moving around and repositioning baby.
7. Turn the monitor off and cover it up. Avoid looking at it all together.
8. Always remember, selective EFM produces the same results and outcomes as routine EFM and Intermittent EFM produces the same results as continuous EFM.
=) Have a great weekend everyone!
neilsilvermankilledourson Said:
on June 15, 2008 at 8:28 pm
In my case the fetal monitoring equipment made all the difference. Regrettably it did not save my child, but it could have and should have if Dr. Amy Levine and/or Dr. Neil Sillverman had used it.
The fetal monitoring strips have been called the “silent witness.” In our tragic situation, the strips were the proof that Dr. Amy Levine and Dr. Silverman were responsible for our son’s death.
Also, the fetal monitoring did tell us the severe heat decelerations that our son Andrew was experiencing.
For more detailed information about our experience, please go to
http://neilsilvermankilledourson.wordpress.com/
Mimi