NSTs vs ultrasounds

Are NSTs standard protocol in most places once you're past 30 or so weeks? I asked my doctor about NSTs and he said he relies more on ultrasounds than NSTs. I don't know if I feel comfortable with that, or if he's right. I don't know if I should insist on NSTs, or go along with just ultrasounds. I'll be seen once a week from now on. I'm confused as to what I should request from my doctor.

Please advise,

Thanks

 

I would think an ultrasound is better than a NST. From what I remember a NST is just wearing the monitor around your belly - like the kind you wear during labor, with the machine recording the baby's heartbeat. I think an ultrasound is a much better look at the baby b/c they can look at the amount of amniotic fluid, movement, heart rate, quality of the placenta, etc. I only had 1 NST when I was pregnant with my twins, around 34 weeks, at an appointment when I did not have an ultrasound. Do you know what kind of ultrasounds you are having? B/c I know at the end of the pregnancy when I was going weekly I was having biophysical profile ultrasounds - where they measure everything. I would feel more confident about having weekly ultrasounds than weekly NSTs.

 

Aimee is right. The NST's are just wearing the monitor on your belly and looking for destats, I believe. Once you've had enough peaks, or whatever it is they are looking for, you are sent on your way. By 32 weeks I believe, I was having weekly ob, NST's, and the BPP's. And the BPP's is where they measure them, etc like Aimee said. :hug:

In other news, 30 weeks?!? Wow! Almost there!!

 

Yep, the BPP ultrasounds provide more info.

 

With the twins, I had BPPs twice a week with an NST at one of them. The BPP is to ensure growth is on target and that your amniotic fluid levels are safe. The NST provides a measurement of activity over time. If the baby has so many active periods, the doctor assumes it is fine. The BPP is more accurate and more reassuring.

 

My doctor started me on weekly BPPs (ultrasounds) at 31 weeks. If I fail the BPP then they would send me for an NST. I've heard of doctors doing it the opposite - NST and then if you fail a BPP. But it seems to me that the BPP gives more information than an NST - the NST takes more time and primarily measures their heart rate/movement.

 

My doc used the NST as a screening - if the girls "failed", an extra BPP was scheduled.

 

I never had a NST- just u/s. Sounds like your doc is playing it safe and taking great care of you.

 

NSTs also Monitor contractions which might be useful.

 

I never had NST, just full US every 4 weeks. I was seen every 2 weeks after 32 weeks and weekly at 35 weeks with a quick US to check heart rate.

It seems to really vary between doctors.

 

my doctor is doing monthly Bpp's and we will actually start NST's at 32 weeks mainly to see if im having contractions or not and to make sure babies are moving the amount they want. But to meassure the babies and make sure fluid is good U/S are better because then they can see. Some doctors do NST's more frequently because (according to my doctor) insurance is more apt to pay for the NST's than for weekly u/s but i haven't had any issues with my insurance either way. But we started doing the monthly BPP's two months ago as that is what my doctor thinks is best which is fine by me. But I also don't get to listen to the heart rate all that long with the U/S Sooooooo i think i may dig the NST's.

 

I only had nsts to check for contractions. The girls were in too odd of a position for it to be useful. We had twice weekly bpp due to iugr

 

Thank you for all the responses. So it seems that ultrasounds are at least just as good as NST's.

By measuring everything, you are not referring to the ultrasound as thorough as the 20 week ultrasound, right? By every appointment, they measure the head, stomach, spine, legs etc... I assume that's what you are referring to, right?

 

Jumping in!

My bpp's were pretty thorough...I think the jury was still out on the possibility of Down Syndrome with Baby B. But the fluid levels are all checked, the size of the head, the heart, the kidney function, blood flow from the cord...I wouldn't say it lasted as long as the 20 week u/s, but it was pretty thorough. HTH.

 

Only once a week did we have weight estimate ultrasounds, at the other us they measured cord blood flow on both babies and watched for movement and breathing.

 

I had NST's twice a week from 24 weeks on. If they failed the NST I was sent for an ultrasound. Just keep in mind that although ultrasounds do provide lots of info like the ladies already mentioned, they are also extremely hard on the babies ears.

 

Thanks everyone. I'll discuss it with my doctor to assure I get the care I need.