How Fetal Monitors are Used

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How Fetal Monitors are Used?
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Introduction

• Technological advances have provided the medical
  fraternity with equipment to supplement clinical
  examination of patients.
• Fetal monitor is one such equipment that
  reflects, records, and indicates activity of the
  fetus heart and within the uterine chamber.
• It can predict and assess the fetus health and
  condition inside the uterus. The machine is used
  to monitor heart rate and depending on readings,
  Doctors decide on steps to be taken.

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Fetal Heartbeat rates

• Fetal heartbeats follow certain known and set
  patterns.
• This rate varies according to the weeks of
  gestation completed. There is a baseline rate but
  this may increase temporarily due to stress or
  activity.
• After 32 weeks of gestation, for example, it is
  considered normal for heart beat rate to be
  higher by 15 beats of baseline.
• This accelerated rate may last as long as 2
  minutes without indicating stress. When the rate
  remains high for longer periods, the baseline is
  affected and changed.

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How readings help

• Monitoring heart rates provide the exact readings
  for heart activity of a fetus.
• Unusual acceleration indicates unprompted
  activity through some stimulation of the uterine
  wall.
• When the acceleration is an episode only, there
  is no abnormal uterine activity indicated.
  However, with prolonged acceleration, chances of
  uterine contractions become maximized.
• The monitor readings clearly define the cause of
  acceleration of heart beat.

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What the readings indicate

• The change in heart beat rate shows an increase
  or decrease in metabolic activity of the fetus.
• A temporary pressure on the umbilical cord would
  induce temporary activity reduction and a
  simultaneous change in heart beat rate.
• Though this may appear as more than episodic rate
  increase, monitor reading analysis will show that
  it eases off within the time limit and does not
  show an effect on the baseline.
• Fast heartbeat could be associated with the
  birthing process but in the absence of scalp
  stimulation, the indication is not an absolute
  certainty because increase in the mothers
  heartbeat due to pushing actually results in a
  decrease in the fetal beat.

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When and how to use monitors

• These machines can be used to periodically test
  the heart beat rate of the fetus during the
  gestation period.
• They are also used during the period of labor to
  study the health of mother and child and to take
  appropriate measures for their well being.
• There is some danger in continuous monitoring
  during labor as the changes in reading could
  result in assisted delivery or caesarian section
  when a normal birth could have taken place.

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Conclusion

• Fetal monitors can be a simple hand held Doppler
  device or a fetoscope which is a specially
  designed stethoscope. These are external devices.
  
• They are also available as internal electrodes
  that are introduced into the uterus and placed on
  the head of the fetus.
• While the external devices are extensively used,
  internal devices are less widely used.
• Judicious and conscientious use of the device can
  be beneficial to both mother and child.
• Silverline Meditech is a fetal monitor supplier
  exporter in India and cities of India.

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