How to read the fetal heart rate monitoring chart? How much does fetal heart rate monitoring cost?

In the third trimester, when pregnant mothers have prenatal checkups, doctors will ask them to do fetal heart monitoring. So what does fetal heart monitoring check? How to read the fetal heart monitoring chart? How much does fetal heart monitoring cost? Let's learn more about it~

What is fetal heart rate monitoring?

The role of fetal heart monitoring in the third trimester is completely different from that of the doctor using a Doppler probe to listen to the belly for a few seconds during the second trimester. Let's take a look at this photo.

This is a photo of a fetal heart rate monitor in a hospital. It consists of two probes: one is a pressure probe placed on the navel, which can sense uterine contraction pressure and fetal movement; the other is a fetal heart rate probe placed under the navel, which obtains fetal heart rate data through the principle of linear reflection of ultrasound.

Fetal heart rate monitoring can help mothers check whether the fetus is getting enough oxygen in the womb. If problems are detected, the health of the fetus can be protected through retesting, oxygen inhalation, hospitalization, or even surgery.

Why do we need fetal heart rate monitoring?

Because "pregnancy for ten months and childbirth for one day" is not as simple and safe as we think. Various reasons in the late pregnancy can cause intrauterine hypoxia of the baby (such as umbilical cord knotting, torsion, pregnancy complications, placental problems, etc.). If hypoxia lasts for a long time, it will lead to low IQ of the child or even stillbirth. Let's take a look at the following data:

Therefore, fetal heart rate monitoring in late pregnancy is very important!

Interpretation of fetal heart rate monitoring data

1. Fetal heart rate monitoring scoring criteria

(1) Baseline fetal heart rate (bpm): 180 beats/min is 0 points; 100-119 beats/min or 161-180 beats/min is 1 point; 120-160 beats/min is 2 points.

(2) Fetal heart rate variability (bpm): <5 0="" 5="" 10="" 1="">10 is 2 points.

(3) Fetal heart rate acceleration (bpm): <5 0="" 5="" 10="" 1="">10 is 2 points.

(4) Fetal heart rate decelerations: repeated late decelerations or repeated variable decelerations were scored as 0 points; variable decelerations were scored as 1 point; no or early decelerations were scored as 4 points.

After fetal heart rate monitoring, a fetal heart rate monitoring report will be issued. The doctor will score the fetal heart rate monitoring by adding up the scores of the above four items. If it is ≤4 points, it means fetal hypoxia, 5-7 points means suspicious and further monitoring is required; 8-10 points means that the monitoring response is good.

2. Uterine contractions

According to the frequency of uterine contractions, they can be divided into: normal (observed for at least 30 minutes, an average of ≤5 times per 10 minutes), too strong (observed for at least 30 minutes, an average of >5 times per 10 minutes). The uterine contraction curve indicates the intrauterine pressure, which increases when the uterus contracts and then remains at around 20 mmHg. The observation of the uterine contraction curve plays a very important role in judging deceleration (referring to the slowing of the fetal heart rate when the contraction occurs). Fetal heart rate deceleration is divided into multiple (deceleration within 20 minutes is accompanied by at least half of the contractions) and intermittent (deceleration within 20 minutes is accompanied by less than half of the contractions). According to the relationship between fetal heart rate and uterine contractions, it can be divided into three categories: early deceleration, variable deceleration, and late deceleration.

3. Fetal heart rate baseline

Normal range of fetal heart rate baseline: my country stipulates that it is 120-160 beats/minute. Fetal heart rate <120 beats/minute or >160 beats/minute, which lasts for more than 10 minutes, is called bradycardia or tachycardia. Bradycardia can be seen in cases of overdue pregnancy, transverse occipital position, fetal congenital heart disease or myocardial conduction defects, and can also be seen in pregnant women with hypothermia, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, taking beta-blockers, etc. It often does not occur suddenly and generally does not require emergency intervention. Fetal tachycardia is often related to fever, infection in pregnant women, anemia or hypoxia in fetuses, hyperthyroidism, fetal rapid arrhythmia, or caused by the use of sympathetic agonists and parasympathetic blockers.

Fetal heart rate monitoring

Taking Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital as an example, the cost of fetal heart monitoring is 20 yuan. The charging standards of different hospitals in different regions are different. It is recommended to inquire at a local regular hospital.