The introduction of the Fetal Surveillance Education Program (FSEP) has been claimed to improve neonatal outcomes. However, the raw data suggests otherwise. A comprehensive literature review indicates inconsistent evidence for CTG training benefits. CTG education should not be mandatory!
The article reviews a recent paper on fetal monitoring during labor by Richmond et al. which lacks a reference list, undermining its educational value. While it identifies some correct points about fetal heart rate interpretations, it perpetuates outdated practices and fails to acknowledge the need for consent in monitoring, thus serving more as promotional content than genuine education.
When there’s a string of poor outcomes in a maternity service, and issues around fetal heart rate monitoring in labour are found to part of the problem, what invariably happens next is a recommendation for more and better education. It seems logical to believe that people who know more about the indications for CTG monitoring, how to interpret fetal heart rate patterns, and how and when to intervene in labour […]
One of the problems I see over and over again is the over simplification of complexities in relation to fetal heart rate monitoring in labour. Education and clinical guidelines tend to produce what appear to be logical and straightforward explanations and advice when there is a lot of mud in the pond. Here are two examples: In both of these cases the situations are much more complicated (like this and […]
We expect that evidence based guidelines are written by people who can critically review and use evidence. Sometimes that’s not what happens though. Here’s an example….
Can we get CTG monitoring to improve outcomes by adding extra bits to it? A summary of what I have previously written.
The history of maternity care is littered with stories of half-baked science that becomes embedded in practice and only too late is discovered to be ineffective and challenging to step away from.
Catherine Williams recently introduced me to the term “safety theatre”. New research points out why investing in CTG monitors and education won’t improve safety. @BerksMaternity
Birth Small Talk 