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A prenatal test used in the third trimester to check how the baby is reacting to life in the womb. It is often used to confirm the well-being of the fetus based on the principle that a healthy fetus will demonstrate an acceleration in its heart rate following movement such as rubbing the mother's abdomen or making a loud noise above the abdomen with a special device of either continuous or intermittent ultrasound (Doppler).
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Stress Test
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The stress test (or "oxytocin challenge test"), is a prenatal test used in the third trimester to check how the baby is reacting to life in the womb. It involves giving the hormone oxytocin (secreted by every mother when normal labor begins) to the mother to stimulate uterine contractions. The contractions are a challenge to the baby, similar to the challenge of normal labor. If the baby's heart rate slows down rather than speeds up after a contraction, the baby may be in jeopardy. |
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L¨àºÊµø¡]Fetal monitoring¡^
Fetal monitoring:
Fetal heart rate, variability, uterine contraction strength, duration & interval.
Running rate:
FHR deceleration:
n Early deceleration: fetal head compression.
n Variable deceleration: cord compression
n Late decelearation: placenta dysfunction
n Acute fetal distress
Nonstress test (NST):
Determination of fetal heart rate (FHR) accelerations in response to fetal movement in a defined period of time.
Reactive: two or more
FHR accelerations of at least
Nonreactive: no acceptable
FHR accelerations over a
Oxytocin challenge test (OCT), contraction stress test (CST):
Three completed contractions of at least
ð Negative: no late decelerations
ð
Positive: late decelerations following
>
è
Suspicious: intermittent late or variable decelerations with
<
Hyperstimulation: FHR
decelerations associated with excessive uterine activity. (frequency
>
every
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Unsatisfactory: fewer than