One way that some women cope with the stress and anxiety of pregnancy after loss is to rent or buy a Doppler-based fetal heart rate monitor (also known as a baby doppler). Some doctors feel that using baby dopplers at home is a good way for women to reassure themselves that everything is OK and reduce anxiety. Others are skeptical or outright opposed to the practice, as they fear the devices will either increase anxiety or provide false reassurances. Both sides have valid points. In compliance with FDA regulations on the devices, retailers usually require a prescription from a physician.
Background on Baby Dopplers
Baby dopplers are typically hand-held devices that use ultrasound waves to detect a developing baby’s heartbeat from outside the mother’s abdomen. Usually, devices can detect a fetal heartbeat starting around the seventh to the twelfth week of pregnancy (based on the last menstrual period), though there is individual variation. Physicians and midwives often use Doppler devices to monitor the baby’s heart rate as a standard part of prenatal care. Detecting the baby’s heartbeat is reassuring to moms but also provides the physician with information that helps in tracking the baby’s development.
Pros
Baby dopplers can be empowering for women, particularly those facing pregnancy after a miscarriage or stillbirth. In the months of pregnancy before being able to feel the baby kicking, the Doppler devices can provide instant reassurance that the baby’s heart is still beating. Naysayers insist women call their medical practitioners for a fetal heart monitor scan done in the doctor’s office rather than “play doctor” at home. What they don’t understand is that the anxiety of pregnancy after a loss is often recurring and not always grounded in rational thinking—something pregnant women themselves often recognize. In such instances, finding the heartbeat can allow the woman to return to her day-to-day life feeling reassured rather than having a nagging worry that interferes with her ability to concentrate on her activities. In practicality, few women can call their doctors’ offices every time they are worried. Even fewer have doctors who have the scheduling flexibility to offer fetal heart rate checks with short notice every time a pregnant woman is feeling worried. This is not to mention that women might feel self-conscious and afraid of being a pest, causing them to sit at home and face the stress rather than ask to come in for the third time in a week to hear the heartbeat in the doctor’s office. Stress in pregnancy is not good for the mother or the baby. Fetal heart rate monitors appear to be safe, and they are easy to use for most women. Women do need to understand that hearing a heartbeat is not an absolute certainty that everything will be fine with the pregnancy, that changed fetal positions and other factors could affect the ability to find the heart rate, and that they need to call their doctors whenever in doubt. Assuming that understanding, using heart rate monitors does not hurt anyone and can help a great deal with the stress and anxiety of pregnancy after miscarriage or stillbirth.
Cons
Fetal heart rate monitors are medical devices that are intended for use by medical professionals. Consumers do not always have the training or knowledge to use the devices and/or interpret the information that they get from them. In some cases, this could lead to patients not seeking medical care when they need it. Women risk becoming unnecessarily anxious if they rent or buy fetal heart rate devices early in pregnancy and are unable to locate the heartbeat. Individual factors like body shape and location of the placenta can greatly affect how early the fetal heart rate monitor can pick up the baby’s heartbeat. A woman may find the heartbeat one time, then not find it the next—perhaps due to a position change, lack of experience with the device, or simply not knowing where to look. Not detecting the heartbeat could lead to unnecessary stress. In late pregnancy, a woman might notice the fetus isn’t moving as much, but might decide not to call her doctor after finding a heartbeat on a heart rate monitor. The problem is, in this situation, finding a heartbeat on the monitor does not necessarily rule out a problem. While most studies have found ultrasound to be safe, there are those who say the jury is still out on ultrasound safety. Few doctors are concerned about judicious use of ultrasound when there is a clear medical purpose, but some worry that unlimited exposure to ultrasound through consumer devices could have consequences.
Where Baby Dopplers Stand
Consumers have fairly easy access to fetal heart rate monitoring devices through online retailers. Most of the merchants offering fetal heart monitors require physician approval and guidance before renting or purchasing the devices. Consider whether the monitor would ease or increase your anxiety. For example, if you are worried about having a miscarriage.If you are spending hours a day worrying and it’s interfering with your day-to-day life, the monitor may be helpful if it eases your anxiety. However, if your concerns are mild, a monitor may not be useful. If you think you would panic if you were unable to find the heart rate at any given time, you might want to avoid using a monitor, as it could increase your anxiety. Baby dopplers are likely safe to use in moderation—in other words, don’t use it to listen to your baby for hours a day). If you are considering renting or buying one of these devices, discuss your decision with your healthcare provider. They can help minimize the risks.
