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Fetal heart monitoring - Results

Alternative Names

Nonstress test; Contraction stress test; Scalp monitoring

Normal Values:

Normal values show a fetal heart rate between 120 and 160 beats per minute and are a sign that the developing baby is not in distress. The heart beat may vary 5 - 25 beats per minute from the baseline (normal) fetal heart rate.

A rise above baseline with fetal movement is a reassuring sign.

The fetal heart rate may drop slightly during a contraction. This is normal as long as the fetal heart rate recovers quickly once the contraction has stopped.

What abnormal results mean:

Fetal heart monitoring tests can detect the following abnormal situations or conditions during pregnancy:

Reduced blood flow to the developing baby (cord compression)
Block of electrical signals within the heart muscle, causing an altered heart beat (fetal heart block)
Incorrect positioning of the baby (fetal malposition)
Too little oxygen supply to the developing baby (potential fetal hypoxia)
Infection (monitoring cannot diagnose an infection, but can suggest the presence of an infection)
Too little oxygen exchange between the uterus and the placenta (uteroplacental insufficiency)
Fetal distress
Abruptio placenta
Severe anemia in the developing baby

Fetal heart and uterine contraction monitor

Internal fetal monitoring

Reviewed last on: 2/22/2010
Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Druzin ML, Smith JF Jr, Gabbe SG, Reed KL. Antepartum fetal evaluation. In: Gabbe SG, Niebyl JR, Simpson JL, eds. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2007:chap 11.

Garite TJ. Intrapartum fetal evaluation. In: Gabbe SG, Niebyl JR, Simpson JL, eds. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2007:chap 15.

Farley D, Dudley DJ. Fetal Assessment During Pregnancy. Pediatric Clinics of North America. June 2009;56(3).

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