The false alarm problem
Almost every abnormal tracing is a false alarm.
Of babies showing the worrying patterns that most often trigger a cesarean, 99.8% did not go on to have cerebral palsy. Most operations prompted by the monitor are performed for a false alarm, and the indeterminate Category II tracing that prompts them is the commonest finding on the machine.
Where this comes from:
180. Nelson KB, Dambrosia JM, Ting TY, Grether JK. Uncertain value of electronic fetal monitoring in predicting cerebral palsy. N Engl J Med. 1996;334(10):613-618.
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This page is educational. It supports the conversation with your own clinicians. It is not consent to any treatment, and it cannot assess you. If you are worried about a symptom now, see urgent warning signs.