In this paper, written mainly for obstetricians and midwives with experience of intrapartum fetal monitoring, consultant obstetrician Mr Sholapurkar gives a detailed outline of the main approaches to intrapartum fetal monitoring and details why it is so critical to safe maternity care. He considers some of the controversies regarding its evidence base and examines future developments in fetal monitoring.

The paper also discusses approaches to improving interpretation such as training in situational awareness and using the “fresh eyes” approach as well as advocating for clear guidance on appropriate intervention when abnormalities are identified.