A fetal doppler is a device that lets you know the fetal heartbeat.

Fetal dopplers are used by the expectant mothers to detect the fetal heartbeat at home.

It is a portable device that lets you monitor and hear your unborn baby’s heart rate.

Features of Fetal Doppler

• Fetal dopplers are handy to use.
• Fetal heartbeats are recorded. Thus can be heard later.
• The 3MHz probe detects the heartbeat of the fetus from 8th week.
• Headphones for hearing heartbeat are provided.
• LCD display of fetal heartbeat.
• Ultrasound gel is provided with the fetal doppler. Lets you glide and detect heartbeat quick.
• Presence of loudspeaker so that fetal heartbeat can be heard by many people at the same time.
• Accurate detection of fetal heart rate.

Benefits of a fetal doppler

• Hearing your baby’s heartbeat relieves your stress about baby’s health.
• Bonding with the baby becomes stronger among your family members with the loudspeaker facility.
• The product is handy so you need not to wait for a month to know the status of the unborn.

Instructions

Detecting fetal heartbeat through a home doppler is an easy task. All you need is a doppler and ultrasound gel.

Lie flat on a bed or massage table exposing your abdomen. Apply ultrasound gel on your stomach and glide gently from pubic bone to your navel until a fetal heart rate is displayed.

Early detection of heartbeat depends on the pregnant woman and also the baby as each case is different.

FAQ’S

1. Is it necessary to use Ultrasound Gel?

Skin contact is better with the application of Ultrasound gel and it gives less static which makes detection of fetal heart rate easier.

2. What should be the frequency of my fetal doppler probe?

Home doppler probes are of either 2,3 or 5 MHz frequency.

• 2MHz probe- It makes the detection of fetal heartbeat easy in pregnant who are overweight.
• 3MHz probe- The most commonly used probe for the fetal heartbeat detection.Detect heartbeat of the fetus that is 10 weeks old or more
• 5MHz probe- Used in hospitals mostly. Detects fetal heart rate in early stages of pregnancy (6-8 weeks).

3. What is the average fetal heart rate?

Normal fetal heart rate is 120-180 bpm(beats per minute).

4. Why can’t I hear my baby’s heartbeat?

There might be many issues concerned.

• The gel might not be applied in a proper amount.
• Check the battery.

5. How often can I use the device?

There is no particular consensus on how often the device can be used. But the device must be used in short intervals not longer than 10 minutes.

6. How do I know whether the heartbeat is mine or my baby’s?

The beats per minute of an adult differ from that of a fetus. A fetus’s normal heart rate is 120-180 bpm whereas an adult is 60-100 bpm.

7. Do I still need to be medically examined even after using Home Doppler?

Yes, you must never miss your regular monthly checkups. Dopplers are in no way a replacement for your regular checkups. They are just for your personal reassurance and strengthening of your bond with the baby.