The biophysical profile ( BPP)

The biophysical profile ( BPP)

1-The nonstress test (NST) involves

monitoring the fetalheart rate over a 20-minute period. It involves the ability of the hypothalamus and the medulla to maintain avariable, rather than asmooth, baseline and to increasethe heart rate when fetal movement occurs. This repre-
sents a sophisticated function of the brain that puts intoplay higher centers. Newer techniques with computeriza-
tion, used more commonly in Europe, can quantify subtlechanges in baseline beat-to-beat variability, but the classic
NST interpretation depends upon the fetal heart rate torise by 15 beats per minute over a 15-second time period,
at least twice during the 20 minute observation period.If it does, 2 points are given, and if one or none are seen
during this time, no points are awarded. Hypoxia, or reallyacidemia, will cause the heart rate to smooth out due to
its effect on the CNS