04/28/2025
๐
๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ (๐
๐๐๐ฌ) ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐๐ญ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ซ๐!
A Fetal Scalp Electrode (FSE) is a tiny wire that doctors or midwives attach directly to the babyโs scalp (skin) during labor by twisting a wire into the top layer of the babys skin on their scalp.
Itโs used to get a very accurate reading of the babyโs heartbeat, more accurate than the belts they usually put on your belly.
๐๐๐ซ๐โ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ:
โก๏ธStudies suggest misplacement happens in about 0.5% to 1.5% of cases.
โก๏ธMisplacement can mean it was attached to the wrong part (like the face, ear, or even a buttock if breech was missed!) instead of the top of the babyโs scalp.
๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ:
โก๏ธIncorrect fetal position being assumed
โก๏ธMaternal obesity making it hard to feel fetal landmarks
โก๏ธVery fast labors (less time to carefully place)
โก๏ธMultiple exams during labor confusing the presentation (like swelling molding the head)
โก๏ธMost misplaced electrodes are found during or shortly after delivery โ sometimes when the babyโs born with the spiral wire in an odd spot.
๐๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ค๐ฌ ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐:
โก๏ธMinor injuries (scratches, small scars)
โก๏ธFacial trauma (if itโs accidentally put on an eyelid, cheek, or ear)
โก๏ธInfection (very low risk if sterile technique was used)
๐๐๐ซ๐, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐:
โก๏ธSome case reports show serious eye injuries when FSEs were accidentally placed on or near the eye in undiagnosed face presentations.
Misplacement isnโt super common, but it can happen and it's something to be aware of.
Skilled providers are trained to avoid it, but sometimes fetal position surprises everyone (especially if the babyโs OP/โsunny-side upโ or face-first).
If you ever want, you can refuse an FSE and also aBadassmotherbirthertion by ultrasound before placement if thereโs time.
-Love,
Flor Cruz
Badassmotherbirther
๐๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐, ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐, ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐, & ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ!
Cheng, B.T., Laurenti, K.D. & Kurup, S.P. Neonatal eyelid pe*******on from insertion of a fetal scalp electrode: a case report. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 22, 878 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-05146-4
