- FHR should be 120-160 beats per minute throughout the pregnancy.
- Can be heard as early as 11th week by the use of an ultrasonic Doppler technique.
- Variabilities:
b.Early deceleration not caused by hypoxemia nor can result to poor fetal outcome.
c.Late deceleration a fetal hypoxemia and distress; due to preeclampsia; maternal hypotension, excessive uterine comtraction.
- Assessment of FHR can be done through:
- FHR is assessed in terms of baseline and lnog-and -short term variability.
- Baseline reading means the average rate of the fetal heart beat per minute.
- Short term variability denotes the small changes in rate that occur from second to second.
- Long term variability denotes the difference in heart rate that occurs over a 10-or-20 minute time period.
2. Non-Stress Testing -
- Done in 10 minutes to note the response of FHR to fetal movement.
- As fetus moves,FHR should be increased by 15 beats per minute and remain elevated for 15 seconds, then return to its pattern as the fetus quiets.
- The test is reactive if 2 accelerations of fetal heart rate lasting for 15 seconds occur following movement within 10 minutes period.
- The test is non-reactive if no accelerations occur with fetal movements.
Amniocentesis is indicated to check lung maturity.
- If 10 inute period passed without fetal movement, it means that the fetus is sleeping. Give the mother oral carbohydrate snack to increase the glucose level and stimulate the fetal movement.
3. Vibroacoustice stimulation
- The application of an instrument to produce a sharp sound to the mother's abdomen to startle and wake the fetus.
