The fetal scalp electrode shortage is an urgent patient safety issue.

There is currently a shortage of fetal scalp electrodes due to a recent recall because of concerns about breakage of the electrode tip with possible injury to the neonate. While the recall is presumably intended to improve safety, the resulting shortage poses risks to patients due to inadequate fetal heart rate monitoring in cases where an adequate signal cannot be obtained with external fetal monitoring and/or when maternal heart rate artefact cannot be resolved by repositioning of transducers and application of a maternal pulse oximeter. DISCLOSURES: __ reports no conflicts of interest. __ has received payments for expert opinions in medicolegal cases involving maternal heart rate artefact.