# fetal heart rate variations and missed beats



## Moonbeam08

I lost my little angel last year as a result of severe amnion band disruption. It was a MMc and there were no signs that she had left me. 

This pregnancy I have been v anxious until the last couple of weeks when i have relaxed (a little ) most of my anxiety is allieviated by using my doppler despite being scanned every fortnight! I still use it most days even now that im feeling movement and it brings me such a wave of relief to hear babies HB just for 15 seconds or so that I can hear and count the beat.  

I fear im OVER analysing but i could do with some advise.

for as long back as i remember LO's HB has always been 140 bpm - consistently 35 beats every 15 seconds UNTIL YESTERDAY when I listened and thought it sounded slower than normal. 

I was worried to onlycount to 32 beats in 15 seconds (128bpm) and listenting on it dropped to 29 beats in 15 seconds (116bpm). I also heard the heart beat appear to stop momentariliy before recovering (like skipping a beat) a few times. I know i can  with the doppler but it sounds very different and DH took my pulse through out only to confirm that the change was indeed LO's HB and not mine.

I came away shaking and then went back a little later to be relieved and heard my normal 35 beats in 15 seconds  and then increase to 37(148bpm). Just to satisfy myself i listened on and it seemed to settle around 35 again only to drop back a little then miss a couple of beats here and there just as i was about to stop. I wish I had stopped listening when all was good. 

At bed time all was well and consistent again at 35 and again this morning constant at 37 for a minute. Of course I couldnt leave it at that and let myself be happy so i listened once more before leaving for work and it had DROPPED again to 32 (128bpm)

Are such fluctuations NORMAL i know the normal range is between 120-160 so apart from the really slow occasion at 116 everything was within this range but is such a drop from normal ok ? also what about the missed beats? are they considered normal or is something underlying needing investigating? what should I ask about being tested for if necessary?

I havent admitted to owning a doppler yet as i know they dont approve this is why i hoped to ask you girls to see what your experiences were first.

all was well at my 20 week scan with heart chambers etc and baby measured within range at 20 plus 1 when i was 20 plus 5 im telling myself that as long as LO is moving then all is fine... isnt it?


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## emilycaitlin

Hi,

I really think you should stop listening so frequently, as I think it is only serving to make you more amxious. The normal range is 110-160bpm, and the heart rate goes up as it moves, and down as it reats. At this stage it fluctuates a lot and baby moves around so much, we dont even monitor babys on a ctg. It's fine to listen to the heartbeat, to feel close to your baby, and its understandeable that you are anxious, but you don't need to keep counting, its impossible to reassure yourself from a sonicaid alone,

Emilycaitlin xx


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## Moonbeam08

emily 

Thankyou so much for your response and reassurance. I have been worried sick and know that all you say makes perfect sense. Im going to try and concentrate on the fact that baby is moving and if its moving then all is well. 

So basically its ok for the heart rate to vary from minute to minute as long as it is within the normal 'range' of 115-160?

have you any notion what might have caused the missed beats i heard? I know i didnt 'fall off' or lose the heartbeat for a second.. it just seemed to stop and then get going again. 

The doppler so far has brought much needed reassurance to me when I wasnt feeling movement earlier on in the pregnancy and I think its time to put it away (try to) or at best use it purely for presence or absense of heartbeat if baby is quieter. 

Does that sound like a positive step forward to you?

This pregnancy has been wrought with fears from the start and I think Im just waiting for this LO to be taken awaay from me as opposed to trying to let myself enjoy this. One day at a time.

all my love 

BJP xox


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## emilycaitlin

Hi,

The normal range is 110-160, I'm not sure what caused what you heard, but babies hearts don't stop and start, so there is nothing to be concerned about there. You do sound like you are heading in the right direction with using it less, but I will say to you and every woman, if you are at all concerned about movements, its fine to use a doppler after you have rung the hospital and are on your way there, just for a tiny bit of reassurance. However, please don't use it if you are worried about movements to think everything is ok.because you have heard the heartbeat. We usually need to physically see a trace of the heartbeat to know if everything is ok,
Let me know if I can be of any help,

Emilycaitlin xx


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