Fetal Doppler

Do You Need to Use a Fetal Doppler?

Being pregnant is one of the greatest times in the life of every woman. Along with the happiness there might be some anxiety concerning the development of the baby, which is completely natural. There are numerous methods for monitoring and early diagnosis of special conditions nowadays. Thus, you can be certain that the constant set visits to the gynecologist’s office and the medical tests he or she is running will ensure the baby growing inside is alright and receives the utmost care. At the same time many future parents want to take all the measures possible to be on the safe side. One of the most widely spread methods is to rent or to buy a fetal Doppler for home use in order to check the baby’s heartbeat. It is normal to ask yourself whether you need one or not. Here are some facts and explanations to help you decide for yourself.

The fetal Dopplers are completely safe to use both for the baby and for the mother. This has been clinically proven since the device has been used for over 30 years. Statistics show that today it is used by more than 90% of medical professionals all over the world. The fetal Doppler for home use does not differ in terms of features, capabilities and qualities to the standard apparatus in your doctor’s office. The device reproduces your baby’s heartbeat tones through ultrasound. The method of use also does not differ from the standard one – the mother needs to spread the special gel on the skin in the area above the uterus and slowly move the ultrasound probe until the heartbeat is detected. You can use the fetal Doppler not too often for no more than a minute or two.

Generally apart from hearing the tones of your baby’s heart beat the device cannot help you or take you away from your worries. It is important to have in mind that a person who is not a medical professional cannot determine with certainty whether the fetus’s state is normal by using ultrasound. Furthermore, there are problems in the development that cannot be detected by using a fetal Doppler and some other clinical tests are required. It is best to contact the gynecologist who is monitoring your pregnancy if you have any cause for concern. The use of the home fetal Doppler is beneficial in helping you feel more reassured and bonded with the baby. It can help fathers too to feel more vividly their baby and to establish a connection. Some models even have built it recorders that can give you a life time memory. On the other hand, some parents may become overly anxious trying to figure out whether the fetus is doing fine by using the device.

Overall, you can use a fetal Doppler if you are going to feel calmer and more connected to the baby, but the device cannot replace the regular medical monitoring of the pregnancy by your physician in any way.