![]() ![]() Your baby may only get periodic heart rate checks with a Doppler monitor if your delivery is low-risk and unmedicated.īut your baby’s heart rate will be continuously monitored if your delivery is high-risk or if you’re receiving medications, like an epidural or Pitocin. That can give a sense of how she’s coping with the stresses of labor. Your practitioner will wipe the gel off your stomach, and you’re done! How are fetal heart monitors used during labor?ĭuring labor, fetal heart monitors can show your health care team how your baby’s heartbeat reacts to contractions. Īfter listening for a minute or so and checking that everything's all right, he or she will remove the device.Your practitioner will rub clear ultrasound gel on your lower belly and press a wand-like device against your abdomen, moving it around until he or she hears cardiac activity. You may need to undress from the waist down and put on a hospital gown, or you can pull your pants below your belly. Listening to your baby’s heart at your practitioner’s office is simple and straightforward. What happens when your baby is tracked in utero with a Doppler? The sound of your baby’s heart can reveal a lot about her overall health, so it’s completely normal for your practitioner to use a fetal heart rate monitor at every prenatal checkup starting sometime in your second trimester. Reasons your practitioner will use a fetal heart monitor during your pregnancy Your doctor might start listening to your baby’s heart at your three-month checkup.Īfter the first time, you can expect him or her to check cardiac activity at every visit. You can usually hear fetal cardiac activity on a Doppler monitor for the first time around week 10 of pregnancy, but the timing can vary a bit. When will my doctor use a fetal Doppler baby heart monitor? Starting some time in your second trimester, your practitioner will use one to check your baby’s heart rate and rhythm, which can offer insight into how your sweet pea is growing and developing in utero. ![]() What is a fetal heart monitor?Ī fetal heart monitor is a handheld Doppler device that uses ultrasound technology to listen to a baby’s heart during pregnancy. Talk to your health care provider if your measurements are out of range, or if you have concerns or questions about monitoring the fetal heart rate at home.Here’s a look at what fetal heart monitors are, when and why your practitioner might use one, the benefits and risks, and whether it’s worth using an over-the-counter heart monitor at home. But you may feel anxious if your baby's heart rate is outside of the normal range. ![]() Fetal heart rate monitoring doesn't pose any physical risks for you or your baby. Rarely, problems with a baby's heart rate are detected that need further monitoring or treatment. Avoid using the fetal Doppler for longer than 10 minutes.Īfter you've logged the fetal heart rate measurements, your doctor will review the results. You can adjust the probe position as needed to find the best heart signal. Note that the numbers may change slightly as you continue to listen. Log the fetal heart rate as instructed by your health care team. Angle or tilt the probe, keeping contact between your skin and the probe at all times, until you hear a galloping sound - the fetal heart rate. Then put the probe on your lower abdomen, near your pubic bone. Place a small amount of gel (Doppler gel only) on the probe at the end of the monitor. ![]() To use the monitor, you'll start by feeling your abdomen to find your baby's position. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |