What it means
The heartbeat of the fetus, checked at prenatal visits and during labor with a hand-held Doppler, a fetal monitor strapped to the belly, or a scalp electrode. A normal baseline is 110 to 160 beats per minute. Nurses also look at variability (how much the rate moves up and down), accelerations (short rises) and decelerations (dips) and their timing with contractions.
For the nurse
Report a baseline outside the normal range, minimal or absent variability and late or prolonged decelerations. For a worrying pattern, first steps often include turning the client onto her side, giving IV fluids and stopping an oxytocin infusion, as the facility's protocol directs.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | FHR; FHT (fetal heart tones) |
|---|---|
| Spanish | frecuencia cardíaca fetal |
| Also written | FHR, fetal-heart-rate, fetal heart tones |
Related terms
uterine contraction
A tightening and then relaxing of the muscle of the uterus (womb), as happens during labor.
prenatal care
Health care for a pregnant person and the unborn baby during pregnancy, before birth.
neonatal
Relating to a newborn baby, in the first 28 days after birth.
baseline
A starting measurement or the client's usual state, used to compare later findings against.