Monitoring in High Gear: What Happened to Evidence Based Practices?

Giving birth in the hospital? Afraid that the nurses might give you too much attention? Have no fear, the BirthTrack Labor Progress Monitor is here!Seriously, all joking aside, this device is ridiculous. According to the website:

BirthTrack continually tracks and displays the most important diagnostic variables. Currently, cervical dilatation and head station are assessed by the physician/midwife manually during vaginal examination. In the usual procedure vaginal examinations are performed numerous times during normal labor. In the case of labor arrest or other complications the number of vaginal examinations increases. The information available to the caregiver is inaccurate due to the objective nature of the measurement and intermittent. In the event of
non-progressive labor, the diagnosis may be delayed, thereby preventing the mother from obtaining the best medical care.

Yes, because it is absolutely essential to know exactly how many centimeters a woman is dilated!

The sensors are placed on your abdomen, two are attached to your cervix, and one is attached to the fetal scalp. Makes it kind of hard to get up and walk around, huh.

I love what they state about partner participation. From the site (emphasis mine):

You will have continuous information regarding the progress of labor and you will know the position of your baby every second. Your partner will be able to be an active participant in the labor process as he/she follows the progress of the partogram on the screen next to your bed.

Yes, because heaven forbid we take the time to focus on the woman and give the woman the attention and support she needs and deserves. Heaven forbid we use evidence based practices and let her get up and walk around; it is so much more convenient to just strap her in and watch the monitor!

What in the world is happening to our maternity system, and to our society as a whole, where the focus is shifting from people and support to technology and convenience? This is getting a little scary.....

But, hey, at least they have the machine that goes PING!

Monitoring in High Gear: What Happened to Evidence Based Practices?