Em. Symonds, FETAL MONITORING - MEDICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PRACTITIONER, Current opinion in obstetrics & gynecology, 6(5), 1994, pp. 430-433
Seventy per cent of all claims concerning intrapartum care in relation
to fetal brain damage are based on abnormalities of the cardiotocogra
ms and electronic fetal monitoring. Claims arise because of failure to
take action in the presence of an abnormal cardiotocogram, or because
of delayed response to an abnormal tracing. Difficulties in court ari
se from variations in the interpretation of the significance of record
ings. The importance of taking appropriate action in the presence of a
n abnormal cardiotocogram, and in keeping accurate time-sensitive reco
rds is emphasized.