Page 181 - Critical Maternity & Newborn Health Nursing

• An electroencephalogram (EEG) measures the brain's electrical

activity using sensors attached to the head and connected by wires

to a computer.

Tests for the fetus

• If the mother develops high blood pressure, preeclampsia, or both,

the fetus's health also will be closely monitored. The more severe

mother’s condition, the more frequent the fetal testing, ranging from

once a week to daily.

Tests commonly used to monitor fetal health include:

• Electronic fetal heart monitoring (including nonstress tests), which

records the fetal heart rate and the change in heart rate with fetal

movement.

• Fetal ultrasound, which uses reflected sound waves to produce a
computerized picture of the fetus, placenta, and uterus to check:

o Fetal well-being and growth.

o The condition of the placenta and the possibility of placenta

abruptio.

o The amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus.

Less commonly, amniocentesis is used to check fetal well-being if

preterm delivery is being considered as a treatment option. For this

procedure, a needle is inserted into the abdomen to collect amniotic fluid

from inside the uterus. The fluid is then checked for chemical signs that the

fetus's lungs are mature.

Early Detection

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