Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffA nonstress test is a common prenatal test used to check on a baby's health. During a nonstress test, also known as fetal heart rate monitoring, a baby's heart rate is monitored to see how it responds to the baby's movements.
Typically, a nonstress test is recommended for women at increased risk of fetal death. A nonstress test is usually done after week 26 of pregnancy. Certain nonstress test results might indicate that you and your baby need further monitoring, testing or special care.
A nonstress test is a noninvasive test that doesn't pose any physical risks to you or your baby. Find out what a nonstress test involves and whether this prenatal test might benefit you or your baby.
- Gabbe SG, et al. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1528/0.html. Accessed Nov. 15, 2012.
- Devoe LD. Antenatal fetal assessment: Contraction stress test, nonstress test, vibroacoustic stimulation, amniotic fluid volume, biophysical profile, and modified biophysical profile — An overview. Seminars in Perinatology. 2008;32:247.
- Young BK. Antepartum fetal heart rate assessment. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Nov. 15, 2012.
- Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ098. Special tests for monitoring fetal health. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq098.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20121114T1246224872. Accessed Nov. 15, 2012.
- Cunningham FG, et al. Williams Obstetrics. 23rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=46. Accessed Nov. 15, 2012.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee on Practice Bulletins — Obstetrics. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 9: Antepartum fetal surveillance. International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics. 2000;68:175. Reaffirmed 2012.
- DeCherney AH, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment Obstetrics & Gynecology. 10th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=9. Accessed Nov. 16, 2012.
- Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 7, 2012.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee on Practice Bulletins — Obstetrics. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 106: Intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring: Nomenclature, interpretation, and general management principles. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2009;114:192.
Find Mayo Clinic on