Non stress test and heart rate dropped at one point

[tennismom]

I was in labor and delivery yesterday as I had cramping and spotting (turns out it was just position of baby pressing on my cervix, but my cervix is closed/long)

While there, I was put on the fetal monitor. It took over one 1/2 hours to get the reading - baby's heart rate had to increase with movement. I had two positive reactions, but then baby fell asleep. Once he woke up, he was moving again and the heart rate would increase, all a good sign.

BUT, at one point, the heart rate completely dropped. Was ranging anyway from 130- 160, but dropped to like 80, 81, 83, 90, etc and then recovered. BUt, it did that for about 30 -45 seconds. After that, the baby was fine, but in the 140s. They let me go home, as the baby recovered well and the doctor didn't seem too concerned. Does that sound normal to you? He said me "did you move" and I said 'yes' b/c I thought he meant did I move during the test, but now I think he meant, did I move and did the monitor come off his heart rate for that dip in the heart rate (make sense?) So now I am home, wondering if I should call back and do another test?? Or is it okay if the heart rate went back to normal?

Also, today baby has been kicking and moving around a lot.

Thanks in advance!!!!!

 

[rosanna]

Hey tennismom!
I had ctg 2 times last week and on both occasions it did happen to me too. MW said that baby (or me) moved and monitor's sensor has moved too and instead of baby's heart beat measured mine, cause baby was probably positioned close to one of my arteries. So that heart rate you worry about 80-90 beats was probably yours not baby's.
I wouldnt worry at all especially if your doc wasnt worrying!
take care and good luck with everything x

 

[AlwaysPraying]

That happened to me as well when I had my tests done. That range isn't considered too terribly low to be honest. They worry when it drops to 40 beats for one minute or longer. Your rate seems to me to still be in the safe zone, and because it did recover they consider this extremely positive.

In my tests they told me that the baby can press on it's own cord and cause the heart rate to drop for a quick moment before it recovers, it's possible this is what happened. During labour that's exactly what happened during my contractions, the uterus was squishing the cord, but because it would go back to normal, all was well. This went on for 40 hours, then I had a very healthy baby boy!

Hope this helps somewhat?

 

[tennismom]

Thank you so much! I have been worried sick and today have been concentrating sooo much on movement. (He has been moving a lot, although when he sleeps for an hour, I start to worry!) They told me to feel 4 movements in 30 min, twice a day when baby is active. And he has been moving tons.

I just got really scared yesterday when the heart rate was in the 140s, even up to 160 and then to drop below 100. With my second son that happened while I was in labor and needed an emergency c-section. o

I am not in labor yet - just was being monitored last night.

thanks again, very comforting and your post helped a lot!

 

[littleblonde]

i had loads of the non stress done. Baby moved and picked up your heart rate. Happened to me all the time x