Effect of gestational age on baseline fetal heart rate during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Analysis of the fetal heart rate in 3,127 reactive nonstress tests revealed that the baseline rate decreased significantly between 28 and 41 weeks' gestation (6.4 beats per minute [4.5%]). Analysis of 235 women with two tests at least four weeks apart revealed that while the majority (51.1%) demonstrated a decrease, 26.8% experienced a rise in the baseline rate during the testing interval.

The use of daily fetal movement records in a clinical setting.

A variety of biochemical and biophysical techniques are used for the assessment of fetal well-being in high-risk pregnancy. Based on clinical experience, the daily fetal movement record has been found to be an inexpensive, non-invasive, simple tool that may be used for the continuous assessment of the fetus by the mother. The daily fetal movement record may predict fetal distress occurring in the interim between other assessments. Patients are instructed to count the number of fetal movements perceived in a 30-minute period, three times per day. The daily fetal movement record is a screening tool that may signal the need for further fetal well-being assessment. The tool promotes the mother's active participation in assessment of her high-risk fetus and may encourage maternal-fetal attachment.