| abstract |
A medical instrument which permits the continuous monitoring of fetal ECG and intermittent monitoring of fetal scalp blood pH during labor and delivery. The instrument includes (i) an electrically conductive needle effective as an ECG electrode, (ii) a plurality of pH probes or a single reusable and rotatable pH probe, (iii) a system for flushing the area around the pH probe prior to sampling, and (iv) a sharp proximate each probe for producing an extracorporeal fetal scalp blood sample to be measured. |