Your obstetrician really has two patients: you and your baby.
Your doctor can ask you how you are feeling and perform a
variety of tests to determine your well-being, but the best way
to determine how well your baby is faring in your uterus is by
performing a non-stress test. A non-stress test can be performed
at anytime during your pregnancy when your doctor or midwife has
some concerns, or around weeks 41 or 42 if you have not yet
given birth. It is usually performed in your doctor's or
midwife's office, is painless and safe for you and your baby.
During the test an external fetal monitor is attached to your
belly to record your baby's heart rate and you are asked to
signal your doctor when you feel the baby move. The heart rate
of a healthy baby accelerates by about 15 beats per minute with
movement. If a baby's heart rate does not increase during a 40
minute test period, this suggests that the baby's health may be
in jeopardy. While a reactive non-stress test (baby moving with
an accelerated heart rate) t