NURS 246 Clinical Lab Fetal Heart Rate Patterns

NURS 246 Clinical Lab Fetal Heart Rate Patterns Readings Foundations of Maternal-Newborn Nursing by Murray and McKinney: Chapter 14 ATI, Maternal Newborn Nursing, edition 10.0: Chapter 13 Video: Electronic Fetal Monitoring Fetal Monitoring What is external fetal monitoring and what equipment is used? The EFM uses external transducers placed on the mother’s abdomen to assess FHR and UA. The ultrasound transducer works by reflecting high frequency sound waves off a moving interface; in this case the fetal heart and valves. The tocotransducer measures UA transabdominally. The device is placed over the fundus above the umbilicus and held securely in place by using an elastic belt. It can measure and record the frequency and approximate duration of UC’s but not their intensity.