From the Guidelines
Electronic fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring was introduced into clinical practice in the United States in the late 1960s, with widespread adoption occurring in the early 1970s. The development of continuous electronic fetal monitoring is attributed to the 1960s, as stated in the study by R. Eugene Bailey, MD, published in the American Family Physician in 2009 1. This technology was developed to assist in the diagnosis of fetal hypoxia during labor and has been shown to reduce the incidence of neonatal seizures.
The introduction of electronic FHR monitoring marked a significant shift from earlier methods of intermittent auscultation using fetoscopes or Doppler devices. According to the study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2021, the first commercial electronic fetal monitors became available around 1968, and by the mid-1970s, this technology had become a standard component of obstetric care in American hospitals 1.
Key points about the introduction of electronic FHR monitoring include:
- Development of continuous electronic fetal monitoring in the 1960s 1
- First commercial electronic fetal monitors available around 1968 1
- Widespread adoption in the early 1970s, becoming a standard component of obstetric care in American hospitals 1
- Reduction in neonatal seizures as a demonstrable benefit of continuous electronic fetal monitoring 1
From the Research
Electronic FHR Monitoring Introduction
- Electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) was introduced into clinical practice in the late 1950s as an alternative to traditional auscultation by stethoscope or fetoscope in the management of labor and delivery 2.
- It was introduced into widespread clinical practice in the US in the late 1960s 3.
- The new technology was seen as a valuable tool in the prevention of cerebral palsy and other adverse fetal outcomes and diffused rapidly into clinical practice 2.
Key Findings
- EFM was introduced into clinical practice 30 years before 1998, which would be around 1968 4.
- The early optimism that EFM would lead to a marked reduction in fetal neurological injury has not been realized 4.
- Clinical trials have shown that although EFM does reduce the incidence of intrapartum asphyxia, its use is also associated with an increase in cesarean sections 4, 3.