[Weeks 33-36] Youve made it to the NST!
After 32 weeks of pregnancy, a nonstress test (NST) may be performed when medically indicated. An NST is a test that monitors your baby’s heart rate and movements without inducing uterine contractions to assess your baby’s well-being. During the test, sensors continuously record the fetal heart rate. Depending on the medical center, you may also be asked to press a button whenever you feel your baby move so that the timing of fetal movements can be recorded. A healthy baby’s heart rate will often temporarily increase with movement. These increases are called accelerations. The healthcare provider evaluates these accelerations along with the overall fetal heart rate pattern to assess your baby’s condition. The test usually takes about 20–40 minutes. If your baby is sleeping or there is not enough information to interpret the tracing, monitoring may be continued for longer or additional evaluation may be recommended.