How Fear, Liability, and Technology Shape Modern Birth
It's presented as protection. Hospital policy. Standard of care. But decades of research shows it doesn't prevent the outcomes it claims to prevent—and it frequently causes harm. In this episode, we break down what the latest New York Times investigation revealed about continuous fetal monitoring, what the research actually shows, and why your hospital is still doing this anyway.
MY 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Continuous Monitoring Doesn't Do What It Promises—But It Increases C-Section Rates by 63%. Research since 1976 shows continuous fetal monitoring does NOT reduce stillbirths, newborn deaths, cerebral palsy, or improve outcomes for healthy babies. The only clear finding? Women who are continuously monitored have significantly more cesarean sections.
The System Persists Because of Legal Liability and Business, Not Science. Obstetricians fear lawsuits more than they trust research. The system incentivizes more monitoring and more surgery, not better outcomes.
You Have Rights and Options—Even If It Feels Like You Don't. Intermittent monitoring (checking baby's heart rate every 20 minutes) gives you the same information without being tied to a machine. You can ask questions, request alternatives, and change your mind. Just because something is hospital policy doesn't mean you have to do it without informed consent.
KEYWORDS:
continuous fetal monitoring, fetal heart rate, birth intervention, cesarean section, informed consent, evidence-based birth, hospital policy, fetal distress, labor and delivery, pregnancy, birth choices, maternal rights, evidence-based medicine, birth trauma, ACOG guidelines
ABOUT DR. EMILY SPAETH:
Dr. Emily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with extensive NICU experience. She's the founder and CEO of Be Well Baby, a comprehensive perinatal healthcare practice offering physical therapy, lactation consulting, and birth education through home visits and online education. Emily is a mother of three, teaches prenatal and postpartum yoga, and is passionate about giving families honest, evidence-based information so they can make choices that truly serve them.
RESOURCES
ACOG Updated Guidelines on Continuous Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring
Key research: 2017 review on electronic fetal monitoring efficacy
The Beyond Birth Blueprint - Changing how people think about preparing for birth + baby
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