Limitations:
(1) high false positive rate (during early labor 20% of normal fetuses may show a fetal heart rate pattern that is not normal, reflecting fetal stress rather than distress)
(2) not sensitive to all conditions affecting fetal health
(3) subjective interpretation of fetal heart rate patterns
Indications for Continuous Electronic Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring
Maternal "at risk" conditions:
(1) diabetes mellitus
(2) hypertension
(3) labor before 34 weeks
(4) labor after 42 weeks
Meconium staining of amniotic fluid
Presence on intermittent monitoring of:
(1) tachycardia > 150 beats per minute
(2) bradycardia < 110 beats per minute
(3) slowing of the heart rate by > 15 beats per minute after contraction
