Is a fetal heart rate above 160 normal?

When women first become pregnant, there is a very small fertilized egg in the uterus. From the first day of pregnancy, the fertilized egg will begin to develop in the mother's belly, and then will undergo a series of complex changes. When the pregnancy is around 17 to 20 weeks, the fetus will have a heartbeat. Normally, the normal range of the fetal heartbeat is 110 to 160, so if the fetal heartbeat is greater than 160, it should be fetal tachycardia. In other words, a fetal heart rate above 160 is abnormal.

Is a fetal heart rate above 160 normal?

With the continuous improvement of social medical level and people's living standards, fetal heart rate monitors have gradually become popular in the families of pregnant women. Expectant mothers can hear the baby's strong heartbeat anytime and anywhere, which greatly facilitates real-time monitoring of fetal health. So, is it normal for a fetal heart rate to be above 160? Let’s learn about it together below.

Is it normal for a fetal heart rate to be above 160?

The fetal heart rate is the sound of the fetus' heart beating in the uterus. It has a clear tone and a regular rhythm, much like the ticking of a clock. The fetal heart rate is a means of predicting the safety of the fetus, so it is necessary for every pregnant woman to keep a record of the fetal heart rate. At this time, pregnant women must know the normal range of the fetal heart rate: the normal fetal heart rate is 120~160 times/minute; the average fetal heart rate before 20 weeks of pregnancy is 162 times/minute; the average fetal heart rate from 21 to 30 weeks of pregnancy is 147 times/minute; the average fetal heart rate from 31 to 40 weeks of pregnancy is 139 times/minute; the fetal heart sound is usually heard loudest on the pregnant woman's abdominal wall above the fetus's back. Due to different positions of the fetal head, the location of the loudest heart sound is also different. It is beneficial for pregnant women to learn to count the fetal heart rate per minute. Because the normal heart rate of the fetus is between 120 beats/minute and 160 beats/minute, if the fetal heart rate remains <120/minute or >160 beats/minute for more than 10 minutes, or the heartbeat is irregular, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes beats and sometimes stops, with gaps in between, etc., it is abnormal. Indicates that the fetal heart rate is abnormal. This indicates that the fetus is suffering from hypoxia in the uterus. The more severe the fetal heart rate abnormality, the more severe the fetal hypoxia. In short, a fetal heart rate less than 120 beats/minute or greater than 160 beats/minute indicates an abnormal fetal heart rate and requires further review and monitoring.

What to do if the fetal heart rate exceeds 160

Fetal heart rate monitoring is the abbreviation of fetal heart rate, fetal movement and uterine contraction chart, which is a major detection method to correctly assess the condition of the fetus in the uterus. Fetal heart monitoring uses an electronic fetal heart rate monitor to record instantaneous changes in fetal heart rate. Through the signal curve graph of the instantaneous changes in the fetal heart rate, the doctor can promptly understand the fetal heart's response during fetal movement and uterine contraction, and use this to infer whether the fetus in the uterus is suffering from hypoxia. Fetal heart rate refers to the heartbeat of the fetus. Generally, the fetal heart rate can be heard in the expectant mother's abdomen with a stethoscope at 12 weeks of pregnancy. However, in addition to the fetal heart rate abnormalities caused by hypoxia, the condition of the pregnant woman herself also affects the changes in the fetal heart rate. For example, if the pregnant woman has a fever, the fetal heart rate will often exceed 160 beats/minute. If the pregnant woman has hyperthyroidism, her own heart rate is very fast, and the fetal heart rate often exceeds 160 beats/minute. If the pregnant woman takes certain medications, such as salbutamol taken during premature delivery to preserve the fetus, or atropine, it can cause the mother and child's heart rate to accelerate.

In addition, in the case of umbilical cord entanglement, the entanglement may sometimes be aggravated due to fetal movement, and the fetal heart rate may continue to accelerate. If this happens before 36 weeks, the fetus is small and can move freely in the uterus, so the entanglement may be transient. If it happens after 36 weeks, the fetus is in a relatively fixed position and the entanglement may cause fetal distress or even death. Generally speaking, a tachycardia can occur when the fetus is stimulated or lacks oxygen. You should reduce stimulation to your lower abdomen and uterus. Also, go to the hospital for oxygen therapy to prevent fetal hypoxia. If the fetal heart rate is too fast, the expectant mother should pay attention to rest and fetal heart monitoring. If the fetal heart rate is always too fast, the mother should be alert to the possibility of chronic intrauterine hypoxia, which requires consideration of appropriate oxygen inhalation and hospitalization for observation.