[Fetal assessment of the labor admission in low risk pregnancies]

The assessment of fetal well-being at the beginning of labor must lead to an appropriate monitoring, adapted to the present risks. Even if some medical events are unforeseeable, three ways of reflexions get clear: abnormal maternofetal signs at the admission indicate the need for an increased monitoring (NP5); the reading of the medical file could reveal a high-risk pregnancy; at least, the realization of electronic fetal heart rate monitoring for any woman at the beginning of the labor is recommended: in case of normality, it remains a good criterion of a fetal good health. In this context of admission, there is no evidence supporting that other techniques (amnioscopy, acoustic test, echography, Doppler, etc.) could be beneficial in low-risk women and be recommended (NP5). Research is to be continued in this field.