How Is Fetal Distress Diagnosed?
Doctors will monitor the wellbeing of the mother and baby throughout the duration of the pregnancy. For example, doctors will remain highly attentive regarding the mother’s blood pressure during her pregnancy and utilize tests such as the ultrasound to measure the baby’s progress. The electric fetal heart monitor is a tool that the doctors use to diagnose fetal distress and can assist with the following:
Monitor Mother’s Contractions
Monitor Baby’s Heart Rate: A baby’s normal heart rate during labor and delivery is between 120-160 bpm.
Monitor the Patterns Generated By The Strips: Doctors and nurses will analyze patterns such as the presence of late decelerations, variability, etc…
Monitor For Signs Of Bradycardia (heart rate less than 110) or tachycardia (heart rate above 160)
With intrauterine resuscitation measures, doctors can treat fetal distress. Listed below are some of the measures. Along with that, if the intrauterine resuscitation attempt fails, or does not resolve themselves, then the doctors must be prepared to conduct an emergency C-section. If failure to do so in a timely manner, it can result in a brain injury, other serious injury, or death.
Lastly, a review of umbilical cord gases and readings from a fetal scalp electrode [1] can also help with a diagnosis of fetal distress.
[1] National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health Diagnosis and management of fetal distress https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41983/
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Quick Links
HIE
Cerebral Palsy
Meconium
FAQs
Resources
Glossary
Contact
Latest Articles
The Hidden Hours Before a Baby’s HIE Injury
After a baby receives a diagnosis of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), a mother's mind often becomes a landscape of questions. She replays the labor, searching for a missed signal, a subtle change, a moment she should have recognized. This search is...
Why Some HIE Cases Are Harder To Prove Than They Seem
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Breaking Down APGAR Scores Of 0 3 And 5 In Baby HIE Cases
For families navigating a hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) diagnosis, APGAR scores are often the first numbers they learn. While these scores are critical, they are also among the most misunderstood aspects of their baby's story. What APGAR Scores...
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Families often first hear the term HIE in the hours or days after their baby is born and they then learn what is HIE in babies. It usually happens quickly, often in the NICU, and it can come as a shock, especially after a pregnancy that appeared normal...
Follow Us
Join Our Newsletter
ADVERTISEMENT. The information presented on this website should not be construed to be formal legal advice. The use of this website does not establish an attorney-client relationship; however, your responses here will be kept strictly confidential. Any results set forth herein are based upon the facts of that particular case and do not represent a promise or guarantee of future outcomes. Services not available in all states based on this communication. The attorneys of Boston Law Group, LLC have represented clients throughout the United States. They practice subject to court approval in states where they are not members of the bar. An attorney client relationship can only be created through a signed, executed engagement letter. Lawyers who will provide services advertised on this website and who are responsible for this website’s content are principally located at Boston Law Group, LLC, 9701 Apollo Drive, Suite 100, Largo, MD 20774.