| | Definition: | | This is a means to assess the well-being of the fetus. Both the fetal heart rate and its changes with each uterine contraction are often monitored. The methods to monitor fetal heart rate are: Doppler ultrasound, phonocardiography, or scalp electrode. The uterine contractions are often measured by a strain gauge applied externally on the abdominal wall (the tocotransducer). The basal fetal heart rate (normal 120-160 beats/min), beat-to-beat variability (normal 5-15/min), and patterns of acceleration and deceleration with each contraction are obtained. |
Biology Dictionary