A simple, economic stainless steel wire fetal scalp electrode is described. Its uneventful use over a 5-year period is reported in the light of several reports of complications arising from the application of both clip and spiral electrodes. The performance of 100 electrodes prepared under controlled conditions was analyzed in terms of both the quality of the rate trace produced and of problems experienced during application. Six electrodes were wasted during preliminary handling but of the 94 used in an attempted application to a fetal scalp, 88.3% were considered successful.