Intermittent auscultation (IA) of fetal heart rate in labour for fetal well-being

As intermittent EFM and Doppler were associated with higher rates of caesarean sections compared with routine Pinard monitoring, women, health practitioners and policy makers need to consider these results in the absence of evidence of short- and long-term benefits for the mother or baby.

Large high-quality studies comparing different monitoring tools and timing for intermittent auscultation are needed. Studies should assess both short- and long-term health outcomes, and should collect information on women’s views.

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