A number of methods to assist in the assessment of fetal well-being have been developed for use in conjunction with electronic fetal monitoring. These various technologies assist in supporting interventions for a nonreassuring fetal heart rate pattern when necessary. The labor and delivery nurse should be aware that one of these modalities,fetal oxygen saturation monitoring,includes the use of:

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Continuous monitoring of the fetal O₂ saturation by fetal pulse oximetry is a method that was approved for clinical use in 2000 by the Food and Drug Administration. This process works in a similar method to obtaining a pulse oximetry in a child or adult. A specially designed sensor is inserted into the uterus and lies against the fetus's temple or cheek. A normal result is 30% to 70%,with 30% being the cutoff for further intervention. Stimulation of the fetus is done in an effort to elicit a fetal heart rate response. The two acceptable methods of achieving this result are the use of fetal scalp stimulation or vibroacoustic stimulation. Vibroacoustic stimulation is performed by using an artificial larynx or fetal acoustic stimulation device over the fetal head for 1 or 2 seconds. Sampling of the fetal scalp blood was designed to assess fetal pH,O₂,and CO₂. The sample is obtained from the fetal scalp through a dilated cervix. This test is usually done in tertiary care centers,where results can be immediately available. It has recently fallen out of favor because test results vary widely. Umbilical cord acid-base determination is not completed until after birth. Cord blood is drawn from the umbilical artery and tested for pH,O₂,and CO₂.

A Number of Methods to Assist in the Assessment of Fetal