
Illustration: Haukeland universitetssjukehus STAN – fetal monitoring During a vaginal examination, the midwife or doctor will attach the electrode to the baby’s skin. In order to monitor the baby more accurately and reliably, an electrode must be attached directly to the baby. This will of course be assessed in each case. birth following pregnancy with complications or illness in the mother or child), the baby will be monitored continually. If the baby shows signs of distress or is likely to struggle during the birth (e.g. This can be done either by the device itself or by you pressing a button every time you feel the baby move. The child's kicks and movements can also be recorded. Both the heartbeat and the contractions which are recorded will be shown on a display on the CTG device and can be printed out. One will record the baby’s heart rate the other will record the contractions. In the case of CTG monitoring, two electrodes/transducers will be placed on your stomach and held in place by an elastic belt. This will provide a good picture of how your baby is doing and how well it will be able to cope with the birth. With the aid of this monitoring, we can assess the baby’s heartbeat and the frequency of the contractions. Illustration: Haukeland universitetssjukehus Cardiotocography (CTG)ĬTG is an electronic monitoring of the baby’s heartbeat.

If the midwife or doctor is unsure or picks up signs that the baby is struggling a little, the baby will be monitored, if appropriate continually throughout the birth. The difference is that the Doppler fetal monitor is an electronic device with a speaker which enables the fetal heart sound to be heard by everyone in the room. It is used in the same way as a pinard stethoscope. Doppler fetal monitorĪ Doppler fetal monitor is an electronic device which is used to listen to the baby's heart rate/fetal heart sound. The final stage of the birth process is the most strenuous for the baby. Towards the end of the birth, when the baby is passing through the narrowest part of the birth canal, the midwife will listen more frequently than at the start of the birth. The midwife will listen to the fetal heart sound throughout the birth. The fetal heart sound will give the obstetrician a good indication of the baby’s health during the birth. The fetal heart sound, combined with information about the amniotic fluid (once your waters have broken) will provide important information on how your baby is doing and how it is coping with the birth. The fetal heart sound will normally vary between 110 and 150 beats per minute. The fetal heart sound is specified as a frequency and regularity. In connection with childbirth, midwives and doctors refer to the baby’s heart rate as the fetal heart sound.

whether there are any factors relating to you or your baby which will require additional monitoring.whether everything is set for a normal birth.The extent of fetal monitoring during birth will depend on

There are various ways in which midwives and doctors can monitor how well your baby is doing both before and during birth. If you notice less than three movements from the fetus within an hour, you should contact the midwife, doctor or the maternity ward for an assessment and a possible check-up appointment. Be attentive to what kind of response you get. If you are unsure of whether your baby is kicking or moving around or you have not felt your baby move for a while, you can try to lie down and feel for it.

The process of childbirth is important for preparing the baby for life outside the womb.
