11/07/2025
We commonly see doctors carefully observing the fetal heart rate monitor and discussing concerns with our clients. Having a well informed discussion is so incredibly difficult! As doulas we work to help our clients ask questions and find what feels right for them moving forward. Then, and this is critical to our work, we support our clients in whatever decision is right for them. Everyone has their own risk tolerance- docs, midwives, nurses, laboring parents.
Decades of research have shown that round-the-clock fetal monitoring does not reliably predict fetal distress, and experts say it leads to many unnecessary surgeries. But it’s still used in nearly every birth in the U.S. because of business and legal concerns, a New York Times investigation found. https://nyti.ms/3WF7yLx