Monitoring heart rate in the delivery room

J A Dawson; G M Schmölzer; J Wyllie

doi:10.1016/j.siny.2018.07.001

Monitoring heart rate in the delivery room

Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2018 Oct;23(5):327-332. doi: 10.1016/j.siny.2018.07.001. Epub 2018 Jul 6.

Authors

J A Dawson¹, G M Schmölzer², J Wyllie³

Affiliations

¹ Newborn Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Neonatal Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: Jennifer.dawson@thewomens.org.au.
² Centre for the Studies of Asphyxia and Resuscitation, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
³ Department of Neonatology, James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, UK; University of Durham, Durham, UK.

PMID: 30005922
DOI: 10.1016/j.siny.2018.07.001

Abstract

Resuscitation algorithms and guidelines highlight the importance of heart rate (HR) in determining interventions and assessing their effect. However, the actual HR values used are historical based upon normal physiology, and HR at birth may be affected by mode of delivery and timing of cord clamping as well as respiratory status and condition at delivery. Furthermore, the most accurate and effective ways to assess and monitor HR in the newborn infant are only now becoming established. This article examines the importance of HR values and the most widely used methods of estimation as well as some newer modalities which are being developed.

Keywords: Auscultation; Electrocardiography; Heart rate; Infants; Neonatal resuscitation; Newborn.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Algorithms
Delivery Rooms
Delivery, Obstetric / methods*
Female
Fetal Monitoring / methods*
Heart Rate, Fetal / physiology*
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Pregnancy
Resuscitation / methods*