Measuring heart beat

G

ggjai

Registered User
Hi,

I heard from a friend that at week 39, her Dr did a (standard?) test on her to monitor the babys heartbeat for 1/2 an hour. Found out that the babys heartbeat did stop for a little while during the 30 minutes, so Dr ordered a C-section for that evening.

Mine is an IVF baby and I am seeing my IVF Dr (obviously also an obstetician as well) throughout my pregnancy. I haven't asked yet, but don't think she will be doing this type of test.

Does anyone know if it is a standard test?

Ggjai
 
Did she have a Nonstress test? My doctor in Malaysia ordered it with my first baby when I noticed a decrease in movement and I had low amniotic fluid during my 3rd trimester. So far with this pregnancy ( now 34 weeks) my doctor has never mentioned it so I am not sure if this is standard in Hong Kong.

This is what baby center says:

The test is typically done if you've gone past your due date, or in the month leading up to your due date if you're having a high-risk pregnancy. Here are some reasons you might have a nonstress test:

• You have diabetes that's treated with insulin, high blood pressure, or some other medical condition that could affect your pregnancy.

• You have gestational hypertension.

• Your baby appears to be small or not growing properly.

• Your baby is less active than normal.

• You have too much or too little amniotic fluid.

• You've had a procedure such as an external cephalic version (to turn a breech baby) or third trimester amniocentesis (to determine whether your baby's lungs are mature enough for birth or to rule out a uterine infection). Afterward, your practitioner will order a nonstress test to make sure that your baby's doing well.

• You're past your due date and your practitioner wants to see how your baby is holding up during his extended stay in the womb.

• You've previously lost a baby in the second half of pregnancy, for an unknown reason or because of a problem that might happen again in this pregnancy. In this case, nonstress testing may start as early as 28 weeks.
 
She had a non-stress test. I had a couple of them towards the end of my pregnancy. One problem is that they put you on your back for 30 minutes(at least for me they did) and with me, either the blood flow to the baby was not great and decreased the heartrate or the baby just fell asleep and had a lower heartrate. I had to redo it and shake my baby awake a bit. But his heartrate never actually stopped. That sounds scary.

As far as I know it`s a standard test in the later weeks of pregnancy, just to make sure the baby is still happy in its home. I was also hooked up to this machine when I was admitted to the hospital after my water broke. But I think that`s often pretty commonplace.
 
I think they only do it in certain circumstances - I had it twice in my first pregnancy but haven't had it at all in this one (and I'm now 4 days overdue). In my first pregnancy, I had it when I fell at about 38 weeks, then I had it again when my waters broke. I think that if you are overdue and do NOT want to be induced, then they will do one just to make sure the baby is still ok... but it's not a standard test for every pregnancy.
 
... or I missed out ;-)

Btw, Nicole, I meant to add on my last post, best of luck with the birth, let us know how it goes.
 
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