OBJECTIVES: In resource-poor settings, the standard of care to inform labour management is the partograph plus Pinard stethoscope for intermittent fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring. We compared FHR monitoring in labour using a novel, robust wind-up handheld Doppler with the Pinard as a primary screening tool for abnormal FHR on perinatal outcomes. DESIGN: Prospective equally randomised clinical trial. SETTING: The labour and delivery unit of a teaching hospital in Kampala, Uganda. PARTICIPANTS: Of the 2042 eligible antenatal women, 1971 women in active term labour, following uncomplicated pregnancies, were randomised to either the standard of care or not. INTERVENTION: Intermittent FHR monitoring using Doppler. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of FHR abnormality detection, intrapartum stillbirth and neonatal mortality prior to discharge. RESULTS: Age, parity, gestational age, mode of delivery and newborn weight were similar between study groups. In the Doppler group, there was a significantly higher rate of FHR abnormalities detected (incidence rate ratio (IRR)=1.61, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.30). However, in this group, there were also higher though not statistically significant rates of intrapartum stillbirths (IRR=3.94, 0.44 to 35.24) and neonatal deaths (IRR=1.38, 0.44 to 4.34). CONCLUSIONS: Routine monitoring with a handheld Doppler increased the identification of FHR abnormalities in labour; however, our trial did not find evidence that this leads to a decrease in the incidence of intrapartum stillbirth or neonatal death. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical Trails.gov (1000031587).