Biomaterial Database

The fetal scalp electrode shortage is an urgent patient safety issue. 2023

Daniel J Kiely, and Lawrence W Oppenheimer

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hôpital du Centre-de-la-Mauricie, Shawinigan and Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada (Dr Kiely). Electronic address: danieljameskiely@gmail.com.

There is currently a shortage of fetal scalp electrodes because of a recent recall due to concerns about the breakage of the electrode tip with possible injury to the neonate. Although the recall is presumably intended to improve safety, the resulting shortage of fetal scalp electrodes poses risks to patients because of inadequate fetal heart rate monitoring in cases where an adequate signal cannot be obtained with external fetal monitoring and/or when maternal heart rate artifact cannot be resolved by repositioning of transducers and application of a maternal pulse oximeter.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D004566	Electrodes	Electric conductors through which electric currents enter or leave a medium, whether it be an electrolytic solution, solid, molten mass, gas, or vacuum.	Anode,Anode Materials,Cathode,Cathode Materials,Anode Material,Anodes,Cathode Material,Cathodes,Electrode,Material, Anode,Material, Cathode
D005260	Female		Females
D005323	Fetal Monitoring	Physiologic or biochemical monitoring of the fetus. It is usually done during LABOR, OBSTETRIC and may be performed in conjunction with the monitoring of uterine activity. It may also be performed prenatally as when the mother is undergoing surgery.	Monitoring, Fetal,Fetal Monitorings,Monitorings, Fetal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012535	Scalp	The outer covering of the calvaria. It is composed of several layers: SKIN; subcutaneous connective tissue; the occipitofrontal muscle which includes the tendinous galea aponeurotica; loose connective tissue; and the pericranium (the PERIOSTEUM of the SKULL).	Scalps
D015148	Cardiotocography	Monitoring of FETAL HEART frequency before birth in order to assess impending prematurity in relation to the pattern or intensity of antepartum UTERINE CONTRACTION.	CTG, Antepartum,Cardiotocogram,Electronic Fetal Monitoring,External Cardiotocography,External Fetal Monitoring,Internal Cardiotocography,Internal Fetal Monitoring,Antepartum CTG,Cardiotocograms,Cardiotocography, External,Cardiotocography, Internal,Fetal Monitoring, Electronic,Fetal Monitoring, External,Fetal Monitoring, Internal,Monitoring, Electronic Fetal,Monitoring, External Fetal,Monitoring, Internal Fetal
D061214	Patient Safety	Efforts to reduce risk, to address and reduce incidents and accidents that may negatively impact healthcare consumers.	Patient Safeties,Safeties, Patient,Safety, Patient