Fetal heart monitoring and gestational diabetes
Fetal heart monitoring in a woman who has gestational diabetes is a way to record your baby's heart rate and measure the frequency and duration of tightening (contractions) of your uterus during labour.
A fetal heart monitor is a machine with sensors that may be placed on your belly (external) or inside your vagina (internal). Internal monitoring is more accurate than external monitoring.
- External monitoring uses sensors that are strapped with elastic belts around your belly. The sensors are connected to a machine that records your baby's heart rate and contractions of your uterus. If a non-stress test is being done at the same time, the baby's heart rate is recorded and you are asked to push a button to record every time you feel the baby move.
- Internal monitoring can only be done after the bag of waters (amniotic sac) has broken (ruptured).
- A Velcro strap with an attached sensor is wrapped around your thigh.
- A thin wire (electrode) is guided through the opening in your cervix and attached to the scalp of the fetus.
- The end of the electrode is then connected to the sensor on your thigh.
- A long, thin tube that measures the strength and length of contractions of your uterus may be inserted alongside the baby.
- The tube and electrode are connected to the monitoring machine that records the baby's heart rate and your contractions.
| Author: | Alison Allen Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS | Last Updated: February 12, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Lois Jovanovic, MD - Endocrinology Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine | |
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