Interpreting the Findings of Fetal Heart Monitoring Strips: Examining New Guidelines and Exploring Liabilities for Misinterpretation

Michael G. Ross, MD MPH
Distinguished Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Public Health
UCLA School of Medicine

Timothy H. Bendin
Partner
Bendin, Sumrall & Ladner, LLC

Kurt D. Lloyd
Partner
Lloyd Law Group, Ltd
- Exploring advances in fetal heart monitoring strips technology
- Examining recent guideline changes for fetal heart rate monitoring
- Distinguishing the different categories of fetal heart monitoring
- Managing Category II fetal heart rate tracings
- Examining techniques for how a doctor can determine when a fetal heart monitoring strip has deteriorated to such an extent that medical intervention is necessary
- Understanding when an obstetrician should see a patient as opposed to a nurse alone?
- Determining the amount of time that an obstetrician should be monitoring the strip for a low-risk versus a high-risk patient
- Interpreting contraction patterns and their impact on fetal heart rate
- Examining current scientific and technological advances that eliminate some subjectivity with FHR monitoring strips interpretations
- Analyzing techniques that doctors use to determine when a fetal heart monitoring strip is malfunctioning
- Identifying when medical intervention is necessary
- Devising techniques for presenting FHR tracings interpretations to the juries so that it is engaging and understandable