Introduction
As a parent, all of you must want your baby to be healthy and fit. That's why parents, along with their child specialists, always give extra care to newborns. However, you must understand that the process of a healthy baby starts even before birth.
During pregnancy, your doctor advises you on certain tests that show the health of your child in the womb. These tests can not only detect future health issues but also predict problems that might occur during delivery. Needless to say, despite so many tests, the number of stillbirth babies is very high around the world. Almost 13 babies per 1000 deliveries suffer from this.
Antenatal fetal surveillance is the set of tests that can show the condition of the baby in the womb and can predict the risk of stillbirth. One such test is a non-stress test.
What Is a Nonstress Test (NST)?
The nonstress test (NST) or cardiotocography is a nonintrusive and simple test that can determine the condition of the baby in the womb. This test basically sees how well the baby's heart is functioning. A fetal non-stress test can identify various parameters like heart rate, oxygen level, muscle tone, and body activity.
When Is a Nonstress Test Recommended?
The non-stress test procedure is done in the third trimester of the pregnancy. Doctors usually advise you to do these tests after 28 weeks of your pregnancy. However, this test can be done within 26 to 28 weeks of pregnancy.
Why Is a Nonstress Test Done?
A nonstress test in pregnancy is usually needed in case you are suffering from any type of complications or risks. Doctors give this test in the following cases;
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If you are suffering from any medical issues during your pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes, your doctor might ask you to go for this test. Apart from this, if the mother is suffering from issues like thyroid disease, renal issues, and sickle cell anemia, this test is necessary.
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If you feel your fetus is not moving inside your tummy or there is a decrease in the fetus's movement, the doctor might ask you to go for this test.
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Sometimes, even after the 40th week of pregnancy or the due date of pregnancy, the mother does not experience labor pain. In such cases, doctors advise this test to rule out any complications.
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Sometimes, the fetus's growth is much less than expected, or no fetal growth is seen in the ultrasound examination. In such cases, doctors use this test to understand the fetus's well-being.
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If you are expecting multiple babies, in such cases, this test is necessary.
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If there is a mismatch in the blood group of the mother and the child, it can lead to serious issues. If the mother is Rh negative and the child is Rh positive, that can cause a fatal effect. NST during pregnancy is important in such cases.
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If your age is more than 35 years or in vitro fertilization is used for your pregnancy, this test is required.
How to Prepare for a Nonstress Test?
You do not need to do anything for the nonstress test. This test does not require any preparation. However, you should empty your bladder before the test.
What Happens During a Nonstress Test?
The procedure for this test is simple;
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In the test room, you must sit in a reclined chair or bed. Sometimes, the operator may ask you to lie on your left side.
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After this, the operator attaches two elastic belts to your belly. One belt contains a Doppler ultrasound transducer to measure the heart rate. Another belt contains a sensor, which is known as a tocodynamometer. This belt detects uterine contraction and fetal movement.
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If the baby is sleeping inside the womb during the test, the operator tries to awaken it by making sounds on the baby's belly. This sound is called vibroacoustic stimulation. The operator produces this sound using an artificial larynx over the abdomen for one to two seconds. If the baby does not respond, they repeat it for three seconds for three minutes.
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The test usually runs for 20 to 40 minutes. The operator can see the test result on a screen.
How Does the Test Work?
This test is done to assess the fetus's well-being. During this test, no stress is given to the fetus, which is why it is called a nonstress test. The test mainly measures the fetal heart rate. During the test, an increase in the fetal heart rate is seen. Also, other things like a change in the heart rate, fetal movement, and rate acceleration of the heart rate are measured. Doctors place an external abdominal transducer in the abdomen to measure the fetal heart rate.
This test has two types: reactive and nonreactive. In a nonstress test of the reactive type, the baby in the womb shows two or more accelerations in fetal heart rate within a 20-minute time period.
What Do the Nonstress Test Results Mean?
The operator or the doctor interprets the non-stress test on the basis of the change in the heart rate. The heart rate in the NST test in a normal pregnancy ranges from two heart accelerations of 15 beats per minute within a 20-minute period.
If the test is nonreactive in nature, you will not notice any fetal movement during a 40-minute timeframe. However, suppose the baby in the womb is neurologically fine. In that case, the nonstress test often comes back nonreactive between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation; as many as 50 percent of these tests might not react, and from 28 to 32 weeks, about 15 percent of nonstress tests are nonreactive.
What Happens After the Test?
After the test is over, the operator or the doctor removes the belt from your body and examines the results. If the test is reactive in nature, it is all good. However, after a nonreactive test result, the doctor can ask you to undergo additional tests.
Conclusion
Though medical science has progressed a lot, the chances of complications are still high in pregnancy. These risks are even higher in high-risk pregnancies. Tests like the nonstress test are useful in those situations. The nonstress test is very efficient and easy to perform. This test can tell how the baby is functioning in the womb and can be useful in predicting the general well-being of the upcoming newborn.
Key Takeaway From iCliniq
Every pregnant woman in the world wants their upcoming child to be safe and sound and tries to avoid any complications during pregnancy. However, if you are having a high-risk pregnancy, the chances of complications are pretty high. In such cases, the doctor will ask you to go for a nonstress test after the 28th week of pregnancy. This test is helpful to assess the general functioning and well-being of your baby. If you or your loved ones have any questions regarding a nonstress test or a high-risk pregnancy, doctors at iCliniq are always there to help you.
