Fetal rate monitoring is a procedure used to evaluate the well-being of the fetus by assessing the rate and rhythm of the fetal heartbeat. During late pregnancy, fetal heart monitoring may be recommended to check the heart rate and other functions. The average fetal heart rate ranges from 110 to 160 beats per minute, but this rate may change as the fetus responds to conditions in the uterus. An abnormal fetal heart or pattern can be a sign that the fetus is not getting enough oxygen or that there are other problems. This procedure is used in nearly every pregnancy to asses fetal well-being and identify any changes that might be associated with problems during pregnancy or labour. And it is especially helpful for high-risk pregnancy conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and problems with fetal growth.

There are two ways for fetal heart rate monitoring, at the doctor's office and at home. At the doctor's office, your practitioner can monitor the baby's heartbeat from the outside and inside if necessary. If your pregnancy is going normally, your doctor likely will check your baby's heart rate with a handheld device called a Doppler ultrasound. Once your water breaks and your cervix opens to prepare for birth, your doctor may run a wire called an electrode through it and into your womb. The device attaches to your baby's head and connects to a monitor. Inside monitoring gives a better reading than listening to the baby's heartbeat from the outside.

Home fetal heartbeat monitoring is done with the help of a fetal doppler - sometimes referred to as a pocket fetal doppler. It is a handheld baby heart monitor designed to help parents hear their baby's heartbeat. It emits sound waves through your skin and tissue in search of any movement, which when detected are bounced back through the waves, creating a pattern. The fetal doppler records that pattern and plays it back for you. Similar to fetal dopplers used at doctors' offices, at home fetal dopplers also uses a gel. The baby heart monitor gel serves as a critical role in the heart monitoring process. It serves as a lubricant and helps to create a tight bond between the device and womb. The gel also eliminates extra air, leading better conducting sound waves. Furthermore, the baby heart monitor gel reduces the amount of static output, making the precise detection of a heartbeat easier.

Being able to listen to your baby's heartbeat in the womb whenever you like is not only comforting but can also help reduce anxiety during pregnancy. This is especially true when a mother has had a difficult pregnancy before. Dopplers also allow you to share your baby's sounds in the womb with other family members, such as your partner, young siblings, and grand-parents. Some dopplers even allow you to record your baby's heartbeat to a computer and share with distant friends and family by email, Facebook, etc.

Experts generally recommend using a fetal doppler home device after the 12 weeks of pregnancy. Before that period, the heartbeat is very faint and the device may falsely register the mother's heartbeat. Typically the device is reliable, however, the presence of some extra noises in the abdomen can lead to false measurements, like for instance the stomach rumbling. In case the device can't detect the baby's heartbeat, don't panic. There are many reasons for that. For instance, the baby may be in a position that makes heartbeat detection more difficult. If you experience unusual symptomsor if you notice that your baby is moving less, consult with your doctor.

For best results with an at-home doppler, it's recommended that you use it laying down flat. Keep in mind that finding the heartbeat can sometimes take a while, hence the need to be comfortable during the process. Hearing your baby's heartbeat for the first time is really a magical moment. Due to this, parents tend to be eager to make contact with their little ones. Allowing this excitement turn into impatience might cause undue anxiety should you encounter any number of normal. Again, remember that this process takes time and staying calm will improve your overall experience.

Fetal dopplers are safe for home use and do not require a prescription. These devices are FDA registered and research doesn't indicate any risk to the mother or the baby when a fetal doppler is used. The waves emitted by a fetal doppler are about 40 times lower than those emitted from the ultrasound machine you see in your doctor's office. Professional ultrasound machines also use probes at a much higher frequency, which is why only trained professionals can perform an ultrasound. With a fetal doppler, anyone can safely use it.