Intermittent auscultation of the fetal heart rate during labor: an opportunity for shared decision making.

Abstract

Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring is the most common form of intrapartal fetal assessment in the United States. Intermittent auscultation of the fetal heart rate is an acceptable option for low-risk laboring women, yet it is underutilized in the hospital setting. Several expert organizations have proposed the use of intermittent auscultation as a means of promoting physiologic childbirth. Within a shared decision-making model, the low-risk pregnant woman should be presented with current evidence about options for fetal heart rate assessment during labor.