What is Fetal Heart Rate Doppler Monitor?
The fetal heart rate monitor, or simply "Doppler," is a sophisticated medical instrument that is used to measure the fetal heart rate of a fetus inside the mother’s womb. This instrument can be used throughout fetal development to check the health of the unborn child. Furthermore, it is used throughout the labor and delivery. It can even help expecting mothers to monitor the fetal heart rate at home.
A heart rate monitor works by using ultrasound waves to monitor fetal heart rate. This medical instrument converts these ultrasound waves into audible sounds. Mother-to-be and a medical doctor may hear and also count the heart rate in the unborn child. To do the test, an ultrasound jelly is applied to the mother's stomach. A hand-held monitor is moved over the jelly. This jelly helps conduct the transmission of the ultrasound waves.
The Use of a Fetal Doppler Monitor in Pregnancy and Labor
During prenatal visits, medical doctor uses this instrument to check the baby’s heartbeat. He counts the heart rate at each scheduled pre-birth appointment. An absence of the sound or a decrease in the unborn child's heart rate signifies the baby is in distress. Additional testing, such as an ultrasound, is performed in order to determine the true cause of this distress.
A form of ultrasound medical instrument used to check the child throughout the end of the gestation period is usually known as Doppler ultrasound. All throughout the medical procedure, this instrument monitors blood flow in some of the large blood vessels in the fetus as well as the blood flow in the umbilical cord. This measurement tells the physician whether the unborn child is getting sufficient amount oxygen through the umbilical cord.
Throughout the labor and delivery, a fetal heart rate monitor is positioned on the mother's stomach. This instrument is strapped to the stomach to allow the mother-to-be to move around while still monitoring the baby. Together with several other instruments used to check contractions, the fetal Doppler keeps a constant monitoring of the unborn child's heart rate throughout the labor and delivery process.
Fetal heart rate Doppler instruments are available for home use. Dozens of manufacturers make them so that expectant mothers can check their child in the comfort of the home. Furthermore, a lot of hospitals rent the gear. However, some mothers decide to purchase one. Mothers who are anxious about their child's health as well as those who experience high-risk pregnancies are the most common buyers of home fetal Doppler instruments.
The fetal Doppler is widely used and accepted worldwide, but should be used with the physician’s advice.
For more information please visit article on fetal heart rate monitoring.
References
www.drspock.com, "Hearing the Fetal Heartbeat", Accessed 06-24-10
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