Heart rate fluctuation

[BabyOrSanta]

I went in for reduced movements last week.
Obviously baby started moving when I got there...

They hooked me up but the baby's heart rate varied from 100ish to 150ish over the course of half an hour, up and down and up and down. The midwife thought it seemed okay but the doctor wanted me to come back.
Went back later and the same thing happened but it stayed in the 120-150 range.

Is this okay? Should I be worried?
They seemed reassured that I have a scan soon and so didn't need to be scanned there and then.
Should I be worried at the scan?

I thought the hr was meant to fluctuate like that and it was a good thing?

But go in ASAP if you do feel reduced movements again

I don't know but that's the only reason the midwife could give that would potentially be a callback thing?
I will ask at my next scan but I think I've been overthinking it FTM syndrome

I think maybe the 100-ish could be considered a tiny bit low but honestly it is definitely a good thing to have a nice variation withing a good range; I went in a week or so ago and DS's little heartbeat varied from around 120 - 165 and it says on the notes that a low variance is what is considered a red flag.

I promise you if they were worried they would not have let you go home

I’ve had to go in recently for reduced movements and the midwife explained to me that she would need the baby to wake up and move a bit so she could see healthy fluctuations before she could take me off the trace. She wouldn’t be happy with a very constant heartbeat so I think fluctuations are considered healthy. It asks in my notes if the heart rate is below 100 or above 160 so I think if you’re in that range, you’re okay.

Phew. So it was actually a good thing?

I have no idea what the doctor saw then... any ideas?

Fluctuations are exactly what they are looking for - it looks weird, and I remember being totally freaked out the first time I was monitored, but it's totally normal. My DS's 'heart-rate' (remember, it's not a completely accurate reading, as they do move round so much, which is why you have to have a trace for a while to get an 'average') went up to as high as 180 sometimes and I think as low as 95. My midwife explained that not every reading is accurate and take it as an overall reading.

I was a FTM with loads of incidents of reduced movement so I know how anxious it can be

Normal range is 110-160. 100 can be normal for some babies. Infact NICE did briefly change the normal range to be 100-160 but I belive it's back at 110-160 as NICE were asked to review their new guidelines as nobody liked them and many hospitals refused to adopt them.

So most places will only consider 110-160 normal and if that's their guidelines then they can't classify a ctg as normal if the baseline is below 110. However it would still be normal if the variability took it below 110 as long as the variability wasn't deep enough to count as a deceleration.

Sounds like they were been cautious but like others have said they wouldn't have let you home if they were worried. Variations like this are good, the most worrying thing in a ctg is a steady/flattish line.

Thank you all

Just had my scan and nothing was mentioned. So I guess it's all going well.
I didn't get a chance to ask anything as everyone was in a rush, it seemed, so I'm very grateful for your explanations

Fetal heart should fluctuate, it generall shows good oxygenation. There is a baseline which should be between 110-160 where it spends most of its time usually and then fluctuations within that. Don’t try to analyse it though, that’s what your midwife is there for

And also Heart rate depends on gestation.. so 160 is abnormal for a 41week baby but normal for a 24weeks baby