What Do Fetal Heart Rate Patterns Mean?
It is normal for a fetal heart rate to vary between 110 and 160 beats a minute. This is much faster than your own heart rate, which is about 60 100 beats per minute. A heart rate in your baby that doesn’t vary or is too low or too high may signal a problem. Changes in the fetal heart rate that occur along with contractions form a pattern. Certain changes in this pattern may suggest a problem. If there is an abnormal fetal heart rate pattern, to help the baby you may be: • Asked to change positions • Given oxygen through a mask • Given intravenous (IV) fluids • Given medication to weaken contractions and relax the uterus Abnormal fetal heart rate patterns do not always mean there is a serious problem. Other tests may be needed to get a better idea of what is going on with your baby. If test results suggest your baby has a problem, your doctor may decide to deliver the baby right away. In this case, the delivery of the baby is more likely to be by cesarean birth or with a special device
