During fetal heart rate auscultation with the fetoscope, the mother's radial pulse is synchronized with the sounds heard. What should the nurse do next?

• A. Move the fetoscope to another area on the mother's abdomen to locate the fetal heart.
• B. Count FHR for 60 seconds
• C. Count FHR for 30 seconds
• D. Ask the mother to lie still while both the FHR and radial pulse are counted

Answer: (A)

When listening with a fetoscope, hearing sounds that match the mother’s pulse means you’re likely hearing the maternal heartbeat. The next step is to move the fetoscope to a different area of the abdomen to locate the fetal heart sounds. Once you’ve found the fetal heartbeat, count the fetal heart rate for a full 60 seconds to obtain an accurate measurement. (Fetal rate is typically around 110–160 bpm in a healthy fetus.)