How Fetal Heart Monitoring Can Reveal Signs of Birth Injury
During labor and delivery, medical professionals closely monitor both the mother and the baby for signs of distress. In this video, we explain how fetal heart monitoring works, what abnormal fetal heart rate patterns can indicate, and why recognizing signs of fetal distress is critical. We also discuss the serious consequences that can occur if a baby in distress is not treated promptly. Watch the video below to learn more.
Video Transcription
When a mother is in labor, both the mother's vital signs and the baby's vital signs are monitored.
The baby's vital signs are monitored through something called fetal heart monitoring.
Fetal heart monitoring monitors not only the fetal heart rate, but also monitors the contractions of the mother.
So if the fetal heart rate, or the baby's heart rate, is too high or too low, that can be a sign of a baby in distress.
If, when there's a contraction, the fetal heart rate doesn't change at the right time, changes too late, or changes too early, that can be a sign of a baby in distress.
A baby in distress is an emergency and something that medical practitioners need to recognize, and they need to attempt to remedy.
If they don't remedy a baby that is in distress, what can happen is there can be a lack of oxygen to the brain, which can result in a brain injury, cerebral palsy, or even death.
The baby's vital signs are monitored through something called fetal heart monitoring.
Fetal heart monitoring monitors not only the fetal heart rate, but also monitors the contractions of the mother.
So if the fetal heart rate, or the baby's heart rate, is too high or too low, that can be a sign of a baby in distress.
If, when there's a contraction, the fetal heart rate doesn't change at the right time, changes too late, or changes too early, that can be a sign of a baby in distress.
A baby in distress is an emergency and something that medical practitioners need to recognize, and they need to attempt to remedy.
If they don't remedy a baby that is in distress, what can happen is there can be a lack of oxygen to the brain, which can result in a brain injury, cerebral palsy, or even death.