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Monitoring during labour

To ensure your baby’s safety during labour you’ll be monitored consistently throughout the process. So don’t be alarmed if the midwives want to listen to your baby’s heart or attach some monitoring equipment to you, it’s perfectly normal.

The only variation is whether you are monitored all the time or just at regular intervals. This depends on both the status of your pregnancy and the hospital policy.

Cervical checks

• In the early stages of labour your cervix will probably be checked every two to four hours or more regularly to monitor dilation and the overall progress of your labour.
• The dilation of the cervix occurs in stages after each contraction.
• At the end of the contraction, the muscles will relax to a state shorter than at the beginning of the contraction.
• This draws the cervix up over the baby’s head.

Heartbeat monitoring

Your baby’s heartbeat will be monitored throughout labour, either intermittently or continuously, to detect any problems.

Intermittent monitoring

Checks will be carried out once every 5 -10 minutes, and will take place directly after a contraction as this is when any slight drop in the baby’s heart rate can be picked-up.

For intermittent monitoring a handheld electronic device is used called a sonic aid or Doppler. The device looks like a microphone and uses ultrasound to pick up on your baby’s heart beat. Alternatively, the doctor or midwife may use a special stethoscope called a Pinard.

Continual monitoring

Continuous electronic monitors may be used if there have been problems in the pregnancy or labour, for example if your labour is being induced or speeded up, or if you have had an epidural.

A cardiotocogram or CTG is one device that may be used to give a continuous recording of the length, frequency and strength of your contractions. Your baby’s heart beat is also monitored.

The doctor or midwife will place a belt around your stomach, and the sensors within the belt will send all the data back to the CTG machine. If it’s difficult to detect the baby’s heartbeat using the belt, the doctor may talk to you about using an internal electrode. It’s a simple plastic wire that is placed into the vagina and is gently placed onto the baby’s scalp.

Sometimes the readings from a CTG machine may suggest that the baby is having some problems. The doctor may then recommend a procedure called a foetal blood sampling. Blood will be taken from your baby’s scalp to allow the doctors to check her wellbeing and to see if early delivery may be necessary.

For more advice about labour, download our birth PDF »