CWC Article - Exercise In Pregnancy

cwc_title.gif (11129 bytes)

Non-Stress Testing

By: Bradley G. Goldberg, M.D.

Non-Stress Testing, or “NST”, is when the pregnant patient is placed on the fetal heart rate monitor to assess the well being of the baby in utero.

This monitoring can be performed in the doctor’s office or in the hospital. The NST is but one of many tools that obstetricians use to assess fetal well being, it is a way to reassure ourselves that the baby is doing well. Other assessments of fetal well-being include the “Stress Test”, and the Biophysical Profile.

The Stress Test is similar to an NST in that the pregnant patient is placed on the fetal heart rate monitor. The patient is then given medication or other stimulation to induce contractions. The doctor then observes the baby’s heart rate pattern in conjunction with the contractions to make sure the baby is not stressed by this event. This test is more involved than an NST and usually is done in a hospital setting.

The Biophysical Profile is an in depth ultrasound evaluation that observes several characteristics of the baby that are generally felt to be signs of a healthy fetus. This is then combined with an NST to give a score on a 10-point scale. Generally an 8 or a 10 is indicative of a healthy fetus, and anything less requires further evaluation.

The NST is not done routinely for all pregnancies; rather it is reserved for high-risk pregnancies or other situations where the well being of the fetus may be in question.

Conditions where your physician may want to perform an NST include: hypertension in pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, growth restriction of the fetus, uncontrolled diabetes in pregnancy, pre-term labor, or pregnancy that lasts more than one week past the due date (post-date pregnancy), as well as several other situations.

Testing is done either once or twice weekly. While a reassuring fetal heart tracing implies a healthy baby at that moment, conditions can change rapidly, so it is important to report any concerning symptoms such as decreased movement of the baby, fluid leaking, bleeding or contractions even if you just had an NST performed.