title: Fetal surveillance in the intensive care unit: understanding electronic fetal monitoring.
abstract: Electronic fetal monitoring has become an integral component of current obstetric nursing care. The goals of surveillance are to establish fetal well-being and identify the fetus at risk for asphyxia and death. Fetal heart rate (FHR) responses provide a cardiovascular indication of fetal acid-base status. To evaluate FHR tracings and plan care accordingly, the nurse must understand the physiologic regularity mechanisms of the fetus, baseline patterns, and periodic changes of the fetal heart rate.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Daddario
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000451:nursing*