What is KTG: information for pregnant women

What is KTG? Many pregnant women ask this question to their doctor. The doctor, as a rule, gets off with a couple of standard phrases, or simply says that "it is necessary for the child." Those who want to better understand the essence of this study - cardiotocography - and this article is intended.

So, KTG. What it is. The so-called method of functional evaluation of the well-being of the fetus during pregnancy and during labor is based on observation of the frequency of the baby's heart rate and its changes. Various factors can influence the rhythm of cardiac contractions, as external factors: uterine contractions, environmental conditions, and internal: fetal activity.

The child's heart is tapped with the help ofa special ultrasonic sensor. The frequency of its operation is one and a half to two megahertz. The sensor is attached to the front wall of the abdomen of the pregnant woman, in the place where the heart tones of the fetus are best listened. The device generates a signal, which, reflected from the heart of the child, returns back. Electronics calculates the intervals between heart beats and counts their number per minute.

The result of the research is a tape with a graph, and it is displayed in digital format on the screen of the device.

But this is not an exhaustive answer to the question thatis CTG. In addition to heart rate (heart rate), the monitor registers and uterine contractions, using a sensor that is attached in the upper front part of the abdomen - near the bottom of this organ. In the hand of the woman is given a remote control, on which there is a button. To press it it is necessary at that moment when the child starts to move.

Decoding of the device record allows you to understandthe relationship of these two groups of data to the actual state of the fetus. First of all, they talk about the reactivity of the child's nervous system and the state of its adaptive reactions.

It turns out, what is KTG? It's the same ultrasound, but slightly different. It takes a much longer procedure: according to the rules, it must be spent at least an hour. In female consultations, the study often takes 15 minutes, which, of course, lowers the value of the information obtained and increases the probability of errors in the interpretation of the results.

Based on the results of the correct diagnosisyou can indirectly judge the presence or absence of pathological processes in the fetus and assume their nature. In particular, thus, hypoxia is detected and its degree is determined, however, not always those signs that indicate oxygen deficiency are a reliable basis for the diagnosis.

Therefore, the doctor should warn the future mother what KTG is. This is just an additional method of diagnosis.

Conditions for cardiotocography

In order to obtain more or less reliable information about the state of the fetus, several conditions must be met during the research.

1. Diagnosis can only be carried out after the 32nd weeks of pregnancy. Sometimes a doctor in a women's clinic appoints her at an earlier time, but it is important to know what the CTG of a fetus is fraught with a very high percentage of false results.
2. During the recording session, the fruit must necessarily be active, at least some part of the time. The duration of the procedure is connected with this - not less than 40 minutes, and better - 1 hour.
3. Pregnant can be during recording in a sitting position, lying on his back or on his left side.

According to the doctors, the method of CTG is absolutelyharmless and safe, in connection with which it was included in the program, mandatory for all future mothers. If you are an opponent of ultrasound research, then cardiotocography will not work for you. In uncomplicated pregnancy, a healthy woman has no special need for it - enough regular listening to the baby's heartbeat with a stethoscope and counting the perturbations during the day.