8. Fetal Surveillance During Labor Flashcards
Drawbacks of Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring
- Incidence of neurologic damage and perinatal death is NOT significantly lower than older methods
- No decrease in cerebral palsy
- Increases # of c-sections and operative vaginal deliveries
Benefits of Fetal Heart Monitoring (& why we dont go back to old methods)
- Nomal continous FHR data = 98% chance that there will be a good fetal/neonatal outcome.
- 1:1 patient to nurse interaction needed with intermittent ausculatation is a HUGE expense
- Even though a non-reassuring continous FHR monitoring is not associated with poor perinatal outcome, it does give a warning of potential problems and fetuses responses to actions taken to help fetus
What are the 2 types of Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring?
- External monitoring
- Internal monitoring
Describe how a External Electronic Fetal Monitoring is done
- Dopple US transducer is placed on moms abdomen, overlying BB heart and detects fetal HR
- Pressure-sensitive toco transducer monitors frequency of contraction, but not strength
Pros and Cons of External Electronic Fetal HR Monitoring
- Pro: Simple, safe and gives us good info on timing of contractions and fetal response
- Con: Not acurate if mom is obsese
Internal Electronic Fetal Heart Monitoring is the most accurate.
How is it performed?
- Membranes have to be ruptured
- FSE (fetal scalp electrode), an internal fetal heart monitor is places on the scalp
- IUPC (intrauterine pressure catheter), is an internal contraction monitor that tells us the INTENSITY of the contractions
Using a fetal scalp electrode for internal monitoring should be avoided in which patients?
HIV patients
What is the pH of fetal scalp blood that is considered abnormal (fetal acidosis)?
pH <7.20
On the Fetal Monitoring Strip
- Upper tracing monitors _____.
- Lower tracing monitors _____.
- Upper tracing monitors FHR.
- Lower tracing monitors uterine contractions.
What is considered normal vs. tachysystole for uterine contractions when monitoring?
- Normal = 5 contractions or less in 10 minutes, averaged over 30 mins
- Tachysystole = >5 contractions in 10 minutes, averaged over 30 mins
- May or may not be associated with FHR decelerations
How do we measure contractions on the FHR monitor?
Peak => peak.
What is a NL amount of contractions?
3 contractions in 8 minutes; should occur on average every 2-3 minutes.
What is a Montevideo unit (MVU)?
How is it measured?
What is NL?
-
Montevideo unit (MVU) = done via IUPC to detect the strength of contractions in a 10 minute period (summed together)
- (Pressure - baseline pressure) + all for 10 minutes
- >200 MVU’s for at least 2 hours
What is your evaluation of the uterus based on this strip?
Tachysystole ( >5 contractions in 10 minutes)
What is the baseline FHR?
-
Baseline FHR is the mean HR, rounded to the nearest 5 bpm in a 10 minute period that we take BETWEEN contractions
- => NL, tachycardia or bradycardia
When detecting baselineFHR (NL, bradycardia, tachy), at what point on the strip do you assess?
Between contractions
What is a normal FHR, tachycardia, and bradycardia?
- Normal = 110-160 bpm
- Tachy = >160 bpm
- Brady = <110 bpm
Baseline HR?
NL; make sure to check between contractions
What is the most common cause of fetal tachycardia?
Fetal infections –> Chorioamnionitis
What are fetal bradycardia?
- Fetal hypoxia (late sign)
- Obstetric anesthesia
- Pitocin
- Maternal hypotension
- Prolapsed or prolonged compression of umbillical cord
- Heart block
What are fetal tachycardia?
- Fetal hypoxia (early sign)
- Meds (too much oxytocin augmentation)
- Arrhythmias
- Prematurity
- Maternal fever
- Fetal infections (chorioamniotitis)
What is baseline FHR variablity?
Fluctuations in the baseline HR that are irregular in amplitude and frequency.
How can we label baseline variability?
- Absent: amplitude range is undetected
- Minimal: amplitude range detectable less than or equal 5 bpm
- Moderate (NL): amplitude range 6-25 bpm
- Marked: amplitude range > 25 bpm