Fetal Pulse Oximetry

Oxygen saturation monitoring does not only apply to infants and adults. In some special cases, even the unborn may need constant monitoring.

The Procedure

Intrapartum oxygen saturation monitoring or fetal oxygen saturation monitoring is an examination performed to assess the well-being of the baby during the early course of labor. This is done by a doctor or a midwife who will insert a catheter-like probe inside the vagina during labor. The catheter should lodge on the face, particularly the cheek or the scalp of the fetus to get a good reading. It may take a few minutes and cause minor discomfort during the insertion. And in most cases, fetal pulse oximetry is done along with an internal fetal monitoring device.

The Device

Fetal pulse oximetry is a relatively new technique in the assessment of a fetus prior to delivery. It has been useful in reducing the number of caesarean sections because of the immediate availability of its results.

The probe transmits specific wavelengths of light to determine the amount of oxygen beneath the baby’s skin. It functions like a fetal scalp electrode that is hooked to an external monitor that reads the data gather from the reflected lights. It measures both the pulse rate and oxyhemoglobin saturation and puts in on display. The data may also be recorded for future reference. Most importantly, the probe should be lodged securely to the skin to get an accurate reading. The physician will provide an objective reading of the results in line with the fetal heart tracing. Should there be any abnormalities in the baby’s oxygenation, he may decide to proceed with a cesarean delivery.

The procedure, however, because of its recent development, studies are yet to be conducted in terms of the reliability of its results. So far, the parameters for false positive and false negative readings are still not available.