What it means
Describes the developing baby in the uterus after the embryo stage. Common phrases are fetal heart rate, fetal movement, fetal position and fetal distress. The normal fetal heart rate is 110 to 160 beats per minute.
For the nurse
Monitor the fetal heart rate and its pattern during labor, and teach the pregnant client to count fetal movements in the third trimester and report a drop.
At a glance
| Spanish | fetal |
|---|---|
| Also written | foetal |
Related terms
newborn
A baby in the first 28 days of life.
placenta previa
A placenta that lies low in the uterus and partly or completely covers the opening of the cervix.
umbilical cord
The cord that connects the unborn baby to the placenta, carrying oxygen and nutrients to the baby and wastes away.