Fetal monitoring in labor by radiotelemetry

Confinement to bed during labor is preferred by the medical staff for obvious reasons, the most important being the ability to monitor the well-being of the fetus and mother and the progress of labor. Nevertheless, a growing minority of parturients do not accept bed rest and are oppressed by the inabiity to move freely even in bed, while connected to a net of wires and tubes, and surrounded by a host of machines, flashing lights and noises. One alternative, home deliveries, is unacceptable to the medical profession and may jeopardize the life of the mother and baby. Modern technology however, which appears to be the obstacle, can become an advantage. In this report, we describe our experience with fetal monitoring in labor by radiotelemetry enabling ambulation.