Emerging Paradigms in Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring: Evaluating the Efficacy and Application of Innovative Textile-Based Wearables

This comprehensive review offers a thorough examination of fetal heart rate (fHR) monitoring methods, which are an essential component of prenatal care for assessing fetal health and identifying possible problems early on. It examines the clinical uses, accuracy, and limitations of both modern and traditional monitoring techniques, such as electrocardiography (ECG), ballistocardiography (BCG), phonocardiography (PCG), and cardiotocography (CTG), in a variety of obstetric scenarios. A particular focus is on the most recent developments in textile-based wearables for fHR monitoring. These innovative devices mark a substantial advancement in the field and are noteworthy for their continuous data collection capability and ergonomic design. The review delves into the obstacles that arise when incorporating these wearables into clinical practice. These challenges include problems with signal quality, user compliance, and data interpretation. Additionally, it looks at how these technologies could improve fetal health surveillance by providing expectant mothers with more individualized and non-intrusive options, which could change the prenatal monitoring landscape.