Why it is all about the guidelines....

Fetal monitoring guidelines set out who should and should not be monitored by CTG, what names to give the various heart rate patterns, how to decide what is fine and what is worrying, and what to do about it all. 

Some guidelines are better at telling which babies are fine than other guidelines. Some are better at pointing out babies that probably aren't fine. Some guidelines do a good job of backing up recommendations with evidence. Most don't. Many undermine women's autonomy in worrying ways. 

Fetal monitoring guidelines can end up feeling like hard and fast rules when they should (and could) help support good practice instead.