In 2008 the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Workshop Report on Electronic Fetal Monitoring was published in which a number of recommendations were made regarding the definitions and interpretations of fetal heart rate monitoring. Subsequently, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published similar guidelines.

Since these guidelines have been introduced, the health care practitioner needs to be familiar with these changes so that more effective communication can occur among those caring for women in labor. This program was developed as a QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE for reviewing each of the guidelines and provide examples of fetal heart rate monitoring strips that correspond to the new definitions.