Exploring the use of wireless and beltless continuous fetal monitoring
- By Philips
- June 27 2025
- 2 min read
An article in Midwifery [1] shares the first survey exploring the use of wireless and beltless continuous fetal monitoring in Australian and New Zealand maternity units. The study aimed to determine how often, and for whom, wireless and beltless technologies are being used in maternity settings across Australia and New Zealand and to identify any barriers to their uptake.
At-a-glance:
- 148 maternity facilities in Australia and New Zealand participated in the survey.
- Surveyed midwives recognize that wireless/beltless monitoring affords freedom of movement and greater sense of choice and control during childbirth.
- Due to many hospitals only having a small number of wireless/beltless CTG machines available, women are often still being required to use traditional, wired cardiotocography.
Take-aways from the study
1. Limited availability: Almost half of the facilities have only one or two wireless/ beltless machines available and 43% of them provided wireless/beltless technologies to less than half of the women using continuous fetal monitoring.
“A large proportion of Australian and New Zealand women continue to be offered only the more restrictive, wired technology,” the authors write.
2. Plans to change: Almost two-thirds of the facilities that didn’t have wireless/beltless machines available planned to purchase such technology in the future, which indicates its appeal.
3. Midwife support: The authors call attention to the “significant” finding that surveyed midwives recognize that wireless/beltless monitoring affords freedom of movement and greater sense of choice and control during childbirth.
4. Complex pregnancies: Routinely and intermittently listening to the baby’s heart rate, with access to wireless/beltless monitoring technology when required for women with complex pregnancies, would provide all women with universal freedom of movement and greater sense of choice and control during their labor and birth experience.
Study: Using foetal monitoring devices that enable mobility in labour during complex pregnancies
- Fox D, Maude R, Coddington R, et al. The use of continuous foetal monitoring technologies that enable mobility in labour for women with complex pregnancies: A survey of Australian and New Zealand hospitals. Midwifery. 2021;93:102887. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2020.102887