The Effect of Monitoring the Fetus with a Pulse Oximeter on Puerperal Morbidity

Summary

Anecdotal reports suggest that intra-uterine fetal monitoring with a pulse oximeter sensor is associated with an increase in postpartum pyrexia and primary postpartum haemorrhage. We examined this potential complication by studying the records of 112 consecutive women monitored with a fetal pulse oximetry sensor and 122 matched controls labouring in the same delivery suite. The median estimated blood loss was identical (200 ml) in the two groups and monitoring was not associated with an increase in maximum recorded postpartum temperatures on any day. Although there are shortcomings to any audit, our data is reassuring. An additional transvaginal sensor is not an important clinical factor in maternal infectious morbidity.