Monitoring Twin Fhrs; Important Considerations - Philips Avalon FM20 Instructions For Use Manual

Monitoring Twin FHRs

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You can monitor twin FHRs externally using two ultrasound transducers. It is not possible to monitor
twins externally using cordless ultrasound transducers.
Additionally, you can monitor twin FHRs throughout labor and delivery after rupture of the
FM30/50
membranes by monitoring one twin externally using ultrasound and the other internally using DECG.
Refer to the appropriate preceding chapters for contra-indications and other information about the
measurement methods you have chosen.
FHR detection by the monitor may not always indicate that the fetuses are alive. Confirm fetal life
before monitoring, and continue to confirm that the fetuses are the signal source for the recorded
heart rate.

Important Considerations

When monitoring:
• Make sure that you are recording two different heart rates. The cross-channel verification feature
alerts you if the two heart rates coincide (that is, if both transducers are recording the same FHR).
If this happens, check the trace and if necessary, reposition an ultrasound transducer to detect the
second FHR correctly.
• Fetal heart rate measurements are labeled in the order in which you plug in the transducers for
those measurements. It does not matter which fetal sensor socket you use, as the monitor allocates
a channel automatically. For instance, the first transducer you connect is automatically allocated a
channel, and the measurement is labeled
If you need to disconnect the transducers measuring the FHR temporarily, with the intention to
continue monitoring after the temporary break (for example, if the mother needs to go to the
bathroom), it is important that you reconnect the transducers in the same order as you originally
connected them to make sure the measurement labels remain consistent.
• The blue transducer Finder LED lets you identify at a glance which transducer is monitoring
which heart rate channel.
• The fetal sensor socket to which a transducer is connected is identified by the transducer position
indicator in the blue setup menu header:
for FM20/30;
FHR1
, the second is labeled
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FHR2
, and so on.
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