Amniotic fluid contamination during internal fetal monitoring.

The risk of infections associated with intrauterine fetal monitoring was evaluated in 30 consecutive labors. Amniotic fluid samples collected through the intrauterine catheter were found to be contaminated with bacteria in 15 of 30 consecutively monitored patients during labor. Aerobes were the exclusive isolates in eight, anaerobes in five and both in two patients. Eleven patients developed puerperal fever. One patient developed gonococcal amnionitis, and her newborn infant later developed gonococcal septicemia. The equipment--catheters and fetal scalp electrodes--was sterile. The overall risk of infection associated with internal monitoring in our study was 50% for amniotic fluid contamination and 37% for puerperal febrile morbidity.