Basic Electric Fetal Heart Monitoring
What Does Fetal Monitoring Tell Us - ANS-To Confirm Fetal well-being
- Fetal oxygenation
- Acid-base status of the fetus
- Ability of the CNS to regulate FHR
- Why monitor? Prevention of hypoxia/asphyxia
Consequences of Inutero Hypoxia/Asphyxia - ANS-- Cerebral Palsy
- Mental Retardation
- Epilepsy
- RDS: Respiratory Distress Syndrome
- Renal Damage
- NEC (Necrotizing Enterocolitis): GI not perfused with O2
- Chronic Brain Impairment
External Monitoring:
Device Placement
Toco - ANS-- Toco transducer which senses uterine activity
- Placed on top of stomach at the fundus
- this area has most contractility
- plug into the UA (uterine activity)
- round but not smooth in appearance
External Monitoring:
Device Placement
Ultrasound - ANS-- Ultrasound device is lower on the stomach and senses the fetal
heart beat
- only the round ultrasound transducer which detects the heart beat gets the ultrasound
jelly
- round and smooth in appearance
Internal Monitoring:
Fetal Scalp Electrode (FSE) - ANS-- Internal fetal heart monitor
- used b/c the fetus can move away from the ultrasound
- small device inserted through cervix and attached to fetal scalp, can leave a small
mark on head of infant
Internal Monitoring:
, Intrauterine Pressure Catheter (IUPC) - ANS-- Internal contraction monitor (measures
strength of contraction)
- used when the bag has ruptured
- must be 3cm
- small device inserted through cervix but not attached to fetus
- FSE and IUCP can be used independently of each other
IUCP & Contraction Measurements - ANS-- The intensity of contractions can only be
measured objectively with an IUPC in place
- Without it, must assess strength of contraction subjectively by palpating the fundus
during contraction
- If the fundus tone feels like:
-- Tip of nose = mild contraction
-- Chin = moderate contraction
-- Forehead = strong contraction
- Toco measures contractions but not their strength
Fetal Heart Monitoring - ANS-- looks like an EKG strip
- top line represents the fetal heart rate
- bottom line represents the contractions
- vertical line on paper shows beats per minute (bpm)
- length of each box is 10 seconds
Counting Contractions - ANS-- Duration: From beginning to end of one contraction
(length of contraction)
- Frequency: Beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next contraction
-- chart as "contracting q5min"
-- fetus is not perfused during contraction
Uterine Perfusion During Contractions - ANS-- Strong contractions cut off blood flow
- peak of contraction on the strip is called the ACME of contraction
- hill shape on strip is acceleration, U shape on strip is deceleration
Three Important Components of the Fetal Heart Monitor Strip - ANS-1) Baseline Heart
Rate
- Is it normal, bradycardia below 110, tachycardia above 160?
2) Variability
- Is it present or absent?
- r/t tracing on strip
3) Periodic Changes
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller lydiaomutho. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £6.46. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.