Are obstetrical personnel required for intraoperative fetal monitoring during nonobstetric surgery?

OBJECTIVE

To determine if the scientific literature supports the practice of electronic monitoring of the fetal heart rate (FHR) during nonobstetric surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

A search of the literature from 1966 to 1995 was performed using MEDLINE.

RESULTS

No fetal hypoxic mortality or morbidity has been documented from nonobstetric surgery without occurrence of a maternal hypoxic complication regardless of the use of FHR monitoring or whether alterations of the FHR occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Fetal monitoring is an indirect assessment of maternal anesthetic and surgical management that is not as specific or effective as direct assessment of the maternal parameters to detect respiratory compromise. Current clinical evidence obtained does not substantiate the need for obstetric personnel to monitor FHR changes during surgical procedures because no change in fetal outcome has been documented.