Fetal heart monitoring

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Fetal heart and uterine contraction monitor

Internal fetal monitoring

Fetal heart monitoring lets the healthcare provider monitor the baby's heartbeat in the uterus, under different conditions including active labor. The procedure can be done with monitors outside the body (external monitoring) or in the uterus (internal monitoring). 

Non-stress test; NST; CST; Contraction; Scalp monitoring

EXTERNAL FETAL MONITORING

By definition, external fetal monitoring is done through the skin and is not meant to be invasive. You will sit with knees and back partially elevated with a cushion under the right hip, which moves your uterus to the left. You can also sit in other comfortable positions, as long as your uterus is shifted to the left or, for brief periods, to the right.

Sensitive electrodes (monitors) are placed on your abdomen over conducting jelly that can sense both fetal heart rate (FHR) and the strength and duration of uterine contractions. Usually, the results of this test are continuous and are printed out, or appear on a computer screen.

This allows your health care provider to check if your baby is experiencing fetal distress, and how well the baby is tolerating the contractions. The decision to move to internal fetal monitoring is based on the information first obtained by external fetal monitoring.

NON-STRESS TEST (NST)

The NST is another way of externally monitoring your baby. The NST can be done as early as the 27th week of pregnancy, and it measures the FHR accelerations with normal movement. For this test, you will sit with knees and back partially elevated with a cushion under the right hip, which moves your uterus to the left.

The same monitors described above are placed on your abdomen to measure the FHR and the ability of the uterus to contract. If there is no activity after 30-40 minutes, you will be given something to drink or a small meal which may stimulate fetal activity. Other interventions that might encourage fetal movement include the use of fetal acoustic stimulation (sending sounds to the fetus) and gently placing your hands on your abdomen and moving the fetus.