Intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring is commonly used to evaluate fetal
status in labor, despite a lack of convincing randomized studies to support
its use. The National Institutes of Health have helped, standardize fetal
heart rate monitoring terminology with their 1997 task force report, which
will aid clinicians and scientists in their goal of providing quality care
and research. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has r
ecommended the term nonreassuring fetal status for electronic fetal monitor
patterns that are not normal; however, Vanderbilt continues to use the ter
ms fetal stress and fetal distress, using specific criteria for each. The a
pproximately 30% of fetal heart rate tracings labeled as fetal stress (or n
onreassuring fetal status) can be evaluated further by the use of fetal pul
se oximetry, a new technology currently under evaluation in this country.