fetal monitoring
Prenatal heartbeat tracking
Fetal monitoring tracks a baby's heart rate and other vital signs during pregnancy and labor.
External monitoring uses sensors on the mother's abdomen; internal monitoring attaches an electrode directly to the fetal scalp for more precise readings.
The practice helps detect fetal distress—drops in heart rate that may indicate the baby isn't getting enough oxygen.
The nurse watched the fetal monitoring strip for signs of trouble.
- fetal heart rateUnborn child's pulse speed
- ultrasoundInaudible high-frequency waves
- obstetricsChildbirth medicine branch
- prenatal careMedical oversight for expectant mothers
- gestationCarrying offspring in womb
tracing · labor and delivery · labor room · baseline · transducer · variability · placenta · pregnancy · decelerations · fetus · accelerations · uterine contractions · maternal health · labor induction · birth plan · cesarean section · scalp · womb
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