Every time you go for a prenatal visit, the medical staff will check and document both your pulse rate and your baby's pulse rate. Doing so helps detect potential problems in both mother and baby. Still, if you're not accustomed to checking your pulse rate, you might be wondering what all those numbers mean -- especially since your baby's heart rate can be double your rate. Knowing the normal heart rate ranges for both mother and baby can help you monitor your heart health at home and keep tabs on your little one's development during doctor visits.
Your Heart Rate
A normal, healthy heart beats about 60 to 100 times each minute. During pregnancy, your heart rate can safely increase by 10 to 15 beats per minute, according to the Cleveland Clinic. At times, your heart rate might climb higher than normal, such as during exercise or in times of excitement or high stress. If your heart rate doesn't come down to your normal level after you rest for a few minutes, call your health care provider and schedule a cardiac evaluation.
Your Baby's Heart Rate
Baby's hearts beat fast, at upwards of 110 to 160 beats per minute, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, but it isn't uncommon for babies to have heart rates of up to 180 beats per minute during labor. Much like yours, your baby's heart rate slows down when he's resting and speeds up when he's active. His heart rate also changes in response to your body. For example, if your heart rate increases when you're stressed, your baby's heart rate also might.
Heart Rate During Exercise
Doctors used to advice pregnant women to take it easy and to stick to low-intensity exercise. The old school of thought believed that if pregnant women increased their heart rates to more than 140 beats per minute, the baby wouldn't receive enough oxygen and the increase in the mother's body temperature could cause developmental problems. Doctors no longer advise women to stick to any particular heat rate during pregnancy, according to Roger W. Harms, M.D., on MayoClinic.com. Women should instead get 30 minutes per day of moderate-intensity exercise and avoid any strenuous or high-intensity activities.
Heart Rate During Labor and Delivery
Because of the stress labor and delivery puts on the mother's body, her heart rate might accelerate, especially during contractions, as her body works overtime to give birth to a healthy baby. At the same time, the baby's heart rate often decreases temporarily during contractions and speeds up once they're over. These heart rate fluctuation don't necessarily indicate a problem as long as the heart rate doesn't drop or rise significantly, the heart rate returns to normal and the baby doesn't show any other signs of distress, according to MedlinePlus. Doctors will monitor both the mother and baby's heart rate carefully with external and internal monitors to ensure both pulses stay at safe levels.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Heart Rate: What's Normal?; Edward R. Laskowsi, M.D.; September 2010
- American Congres of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring During Labor
- Cleveland Clinic: Pregnancy and Heart Disease
- MayoClinic.com; Exercise During Pregnancy: Is Heart Rate a Concern?; Roger W. Harms, M.D. July 2011
- MedlinePlus: Pulse - Bounding
- "American Family Physician"; Interpretation of the Electronic Fetal Heart Rate During Labor; Amir Sweha, M.D., et al; May 1999
