You may have other risks depending on your specific health condition. This is because you may pass the infection on to your baby. Note: You should not have internal fetal heart rate monitoring if you are HIV positive. Risks of internal monitoring include infection and bruising of your baby’s scalp or other body part. With internal monitoring, you may have some slight discomfort when the electrode is put in your uterus. You may need to stay in bed during labor. You must lie still during some types of fetal heart rate monitoring. You may find the elastic belts that hold the transducers in place slightly uncomfortable. The transducer usually causes no discomfort. What are the risks of fetal heart monitoring? Your healthcare provider may have other reasons to use fetal heart rate monitoring. Pain medicines or anesthesia given to you during labor Things that may affect the fetal heart rate during labor: This test combines a nonstress test with ultrasound. Contractions are started with medicine or other methods.īiophysical profile (BPP). Nonstress test. This measures the fetal heart rate as your baby moves.Ĭontraction stress test. This measures fetal heart rate along with uterine contractions. These medicines are used to help keep labor from starting too early.įetal heart rate monitoring may be used in other tests, including: It's also high risk if your baby is not developing or growing as it should.įetal heart rate monitoring may be used to check how preterm labor medicines are affecting your baby. Your pregnancy is high risk if you have diabetes or high blood pressure. Why might I need fetal heart monitoring?įetal heart rate monitoring is especially helpful if you have a high-risk pregnancy. The catheter will send uterine pressure readings to a monitor. To do this, he or she will put a thin tube (catheter) through your cervix and into your uterus. Your provider may check the pressure inside your uterus while doing internal fetal heart monitoring. Because the fetal heart rate and contractions are recorded at the same time, these results can be looked at together and compared. Your provider will note how often you are having contractions and how long each lasts. Or your provider may use this method to watch your baby more closely during labor.ĭuring labor, your healthcare provider will watch your uterine contractions and your baby’s heart rate. Your provider may use internal monitoring when external monitoring is not giving a good reading. But it can only be done if the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the baby during pregnancy (amniotic sac) has broken and the cervix is opened. This method gives better readings because things like movement don’t affect it. The wire runs from the baby through your cervix. This method uses a thin wire (electrode) put on your baby’s scalp. The rate and pattern of your baby’s heart rate are shown on a screen and may be printed on paper. It sends the sounds of your baby’s heart to a computer. To do this, the ultrasound probe (transducer) is fastened to your belly. The healthcare provider may also check your baby’s heart rate continuously during labor and birth. It may also be used to check the fetal heart rate during labor. It’s often used during prenatal visits to count the baby’s heart rate. One type of monitor is a Doppler ultrasound device. This method uses a device to listen to and record your baby’s heartbeat through your belly (abdomen).

There are 2 ways to do fetal heart monitoring, external and internal. An abnormal fetal heart rate may mean that your baby is not getting enough oxygen or that there are other problems. The fetal heart rate may change as your baby responds to conditions in your uterus. The average fetal heart rate is between 110 and 160 beats per minute. Your healthcare provider may do fetal heart monitoring during late pregnancy and labor. This lets your healthcare provider see how your baby is doing. Fetal Heart Monitoring What is fetal heart monitoring?įetal heart rate monitoring measures the heart rate and rhythm of your baby (fetus).

Apps to hear baby heartbeat