In the second half of pregnancy, the number of tests and examinations increases. Another species is suddenly added to them: CTG of the fetus. During the first pregnancy, the expectant mother is frightened: so something is wrong with the baby?
Dear future mothers, you should know that CTG of the fetus, as a rule, is no more than a routine check of how the muscles of the uterus behave and how the heart of the future baby beats. CTG is a cardiotogography , the procedure is completely painless and completely harmless.
All women in the second half of pregnancy, after the 26th week, are prescribed at least twice the passage of cardiotografia. As a rule, this examination is recorded in advance and arrives at a strictly appointed hour.
This procedure is not fast. To collect enough objective information about the contractions of the uterus and the activity of the heart of the fetus, you need from 40 to 60 minutes. A woman is either laid on a comfortable couch, or seated in a comfortable deep chair, and the CTG measurement of the fetus begins: a special sensor is mounted on her stomach, transmitting information to the electronic unit, the reflection of information is recorded on a special tape.
Dear women, do not torment the lab assistant with questions, she understands all these numbers and lines not much better than you. Only a doctor can really give out the results of a check, after a complete decryption of the data.
When checking CTG of the fetus, the decryption evaluates a number of indicators of its condition:
1. Basal rhythm (otherwise it is called heart rate - heart rate). The fetus has a pulse more often than an already born child. According to CTG of the fetus, at rest, the baby's pulse fluctuates in the range from 100 to 160 beats per minute, with stirring - up to 190.
2. Variability (that is, individual deviations from the norm) can reach 25 beats per minute.
3. Acceleration of heart rate (it is also acceleration), as a rule, happens more than 2 times in 10 minutes. How much more depends on the individual characteristics of the unborn baby. High peaks displayed on tape
4. Slow heart rate (deceleration) may be completely absent or has low rates (small "holes").
5. Togogram - uterine activity. It normally makes up no more than 15% of the heart rate, duration - over thirty seconds.
According to a special scale, each indicator is evaluated - and the doctor supervising the development of the fetus is informed of the final indicators.
If the sum of indicators is from 9 to 12 points, you can safely go for a walk: there is no reason for alarm. But this does not mean that a repeated invitation to the examination can be dismissed - vigilance has not bothered anyone, just now you can not worry: everything is in order with you!
If the doctor reports that the total score according to the results of CTG of the fetus is from 6 to 8 points, then the fetus does not receive enough oxygen, mild hypoxia (not threatening) is evident. This may be a consequence of the mother’s illness, the entwining of the baby with the umbilical cord, sometimes the first analysis simply for some reason is inaccurate. The woman is sent for re-analysis.
And only if the total indicator is 5 or less, does this mean pronounced oxygen starvation of the fetus. In this case, they offer emergency delivery so that the cerebral cortex of the fetus does not suffer.
And what is the ACTH norm? Why to determine it you need to donate blood for analysis? This is a test that has nothing to do with CTG of the fetus. ACTH norm determines the amount of corticotropic hormones in the blood. The upper limit of the norm is up to 69 pmol / liter, the lower is 7.2 pmol / liter. This hormone prepares the uterus for childbirth, reduces the level of birth stress, and is involved in the process of “starting” the birth mechanism. It is calculated by the presence in the blood plasma. The analysis is done once.
Dear mothers, if the doctor gives a direction, this is not a cause for alarm. Try to stay calm, everything will be fine with you.