Precautions before fetal heart monitoring

Fetal heart monitoring is a type of testing that only pregnant women will do. This method is very useful for the baby's heart rate, but we should also pay attention to certain precautions when doing fetal heart monitoring. If we do not treat it strictly, it may cause some abnormal conditions and even some serious consequences. So what are the precautions before fetal heart monitoring?

In addition to monitoring during prenatal checkups, fetal heart rate monitoring can also be performed at home. You can purchase a fetal heart rate monitor for daily monitoring, or you can have the expectant father stick it to the abdominal wall to listen to the fetal heart rate.

Note: (1) Fetal heart rate monitoring uses the principle of ultrasound to monitor the condition of the fetus in the uterus and has no effect on the fetus.

(2) Fetal heart rate monitoring usually lasts about 20 minutes, so expectant mothers should avoid being hungry and empty their bladder before undergoing fetal heart rate monitoring; and choose the most comfortable position, such as semi-recumbent or sitting.

(3) If the fetus is unwilling to move during monitoring, it is very likely that the fetus is asleep. You can gently shake your abdomen to wake the fetus up. If the fetal heart rate monitoring results are not very satisfactory, then the monitoring may continue, so expectant mothers should not be too anxious.

(4) If the pregnant woman has high-risk factors such as intrahepatic cholestasis, post-term pregnancy, moderate to severe gestational hypertension syndrome, history of stillbirth, etc., the monitoring frequency should be at least twice a week. If there is an abnormality in the fetal heart rate monitoring, monitoring should continue until delivery.

Fetal heart rate monitoring during prenatal check-up (1) Fetal heart rate monitoring uses the principle of ultrasound to monitor the condition of the fetus in the uterus and is safe for the fetus. By using the curve of the monitoring graph formed by the instantaneous fetal heart rate changes recorded by the signal, we can understand the fetal heart rate response during fetal movement and uterine contraction, and infer whether the fetus in the uterus is suffering from hypoxia.

(2) During monitoring, two probes are tied to the pregnant woman. One probe is tied to the top of the uterus and is a pressure receptor. Its main function is to detect the presence and intensity of uterine contractions. The other probe is placed on the chest or back of the fetus to measure the fetal heart rate.

(3) The screen of the fetal heart rate monitor displays corresponding graphics of the fetal heart rate and uterine contractions. Two main lines are displayed, the upper one is the fetal heart rate, and the lower one indicates the intrauterine pressure. Under normal circumstances, the fetal heart rate fluctuates between 120-160 beats/minute. The basic heart rate line is generally presented as a wavy straight line. The heart rate will rise when the fetal movement occurs; and the line below will increase during uterine contractions, and then will remain at around 20 mmHg.

(4) The fetal heart monitor calculates the number of heart beats for each fetal cardiac cycle and records it on a graph to show the baseline variation of the fetal heart rate. Within a certain range, changes in the baseline fetal heart rate indicate that the autonomic nervous system regulation and cardiac conduction function of the fetal heart's central nervous system have been established, and the fetal heart has a certain reserve capacity.

Monitoring fetal heart rate at home: Currently, you can monitor the fetal heart rate at home by purchasing a stethoscope, fetal heart (sound) monitor, fetal talk monitor, etc. You can also monitor by counting fetal movements.

(1) Stethoscope monitoring: The price of a stethoscope is relatively low, but there are certain technical requirements for finding the location of the fetal heart. The fetal heart is small and it is not easy for ordinary people to find it. The fetal heart should be listened to under the guidance of a professional.

(2) Fetal heart rate (sound) monitor/fetal talk monitor monitoring: These two types of monitors use Doppler auscultation technology and can be used to listen to the fetal heart rate. Some can display the fetal heart rate through an LED or LCD screen. The fetal talk monitor is a smart device that can meet the standards for monitoring the fetal heart rate at home and is used to listen to and record fetal sounds. It counts fetal heart rate and fetal movements and has more complete functions than traditional monitors, but it must be connected to a mobile phone software and is suitable for pregnant women with Apple and Android phones.

(3) Counting fetal movements: Counting fetal movements for monitoring is also a very effective and simple method with a relatively high accuracy rate. Most doctors will recommend this method to expectant mothers. Normal obvious fetal movements should be no less than 3-5 times per hour, and more than 30-40 times in 12 hours. If the number of fetal movements in 12 hours is less than 10 times, it means that the fetal movement is reduced. You should carefully find out the cause and go to the hospital for fetal heart monitoring if necessary.

(4) Listening to the fetal heart rate: During the prenatal check-up, the doctor can tell you the location of the fetal heart rate. Then, at home, have a loved one listen to the fetal heart rate by placing their hands against the abdominal wall at the location of the fetal heart rate. This can be done three times a day, in the morning, noon, and evening, for 2-3 minutes each time. Monitor whether the fetal heart rate is within the normal range (120-160 beats/minute) to understand the health of the fetus.