Used to measure fetal HR and uterine contractions

Two transducers are placed on the abdomen to get the CTG readout:

• One above the fetal heart to monitor the fetal heartbeat
• One near the fundus of the uterus to monitor the uterine contractions

The indications for continuous CTG monitoring in labour include:

• Sepsis
• Maternal tachycardia (> 120)
• Significant meconium
• Pre-eclampsia (particularly blood pressure > 160 / 110)
• Fresh antepartum haemorrhage
• Delay in labour
• Use of oxytocin
• Disproportionate maternal pain

Key Features

There are five key features to look for on a CTG:

• Contractions – the number of uterine contractions per 10 minutes
• Baseline rate – the baseline fetal heart rate (110-160)