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Irregular fetal heart rhythm
This leaflet explains more about irregular fetal heart rhythms.
If you have any further questions, please speak to a doctor or nurse caring for you.
What is an irregular fetal heart rhythm and what does this mean?
You have been referred to the department of fetal cardiology at the Evelina Children’s Hospital
because your unborn baby has an irregular heartbeat.
An irregular heartbeat before birth is common. We have scanned your baby’s heart and found
that there is no abnormality of the structure or function of the heart.
In the heart there are four chambers, the upper two chambers (atriums), which collect blood and
the lower two chambers (ventricles), which pump blood. It is the atriums which are responsible
for setting the pace of your baby’s heart. In some babies, the upper chambers generate extra
beats, which lead to an irregularity of the fetal heart rhythm. This does not mean that your baby
is distressed and there is no urgent need for you to give birth. In most cases this rhythm will
settle down and return to normal.
What happens now and will I need treatment?
In a few cases, extra beats of the upper chambers may cause a very fast heart rhythm
(tachycardia). This is unusual but if it occurs it may require treatment.
For this reason we are advising:
1. That your baby’s heart rate is checked every one to two weeks. This involves listening to
the heart and does not mean regular ultrasound scans.
2. If during labour your baby’s heart rhythm is very irregular then this may cause problems for
the monitoring of the baby’s wellbeing. This does not usually pose a major problem and the
vast majority of babies we have seen with an irregular fetal heart rhythm have gone on to
have perfectly normal deliveries.
3. If your baby’s heartbeat continues to be irregular up to delivery, we advise that your baby
remains in hospital for 48 hours after they are born. This is so that staff can check the
baby’s heart rhythm and also perform an electrocardiogram (ECG), which is an electrical
test of the heart, to provide further information on the heart rhythm. If the heart rhythm has
become regular before labour, observation in hospital after the birth is not necessary.
4. If all is well on postnatal checks after your baby is born, and there is no evidence of a fast
heart rhythm, we do not advise any routine follow-ups. If there are any concerns after birth
then your local hospital will be able to refer you to the relevant service.
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Contact us
If you have any further questions, please ask those who have performed the scan. You can
contact us on 020 7188 2308, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5.30pm. Out of hours,
please contact your local hospital.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) – To make comments or raise concerns about the
Trust’s services, please contact PALS. Ask a member of staff to direct you to the PALS office or:
t: 020 7188 8801 at St Thomas’ t: 020 7188 8803 at Guy’s e: [email protected]
Knowledge & Information Centre (KIC) – For more information about health conditions,
support groups and local services, or to search the internet and send emails, please visit the
KIC on the Ground Floor, North Wing, St Thomas’ Hospital.
t: 020 7188 3416
Language support services – If you need an interpreter or information about your care in a
different language or format, please get in touch using the following contact details.
t: 020 7188 8815 fax: 020 7188 5953
NHS Direct - Offers health information and advice from specially trained nurses over the
phone 24 hours a day.
t: 0845 4647 w: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
NHS Choices – Provides online information and guidance on all aspects of health and
healthcare, to help you make choices about your health.
w: www.nhs.uk
Leaflet number: 3653/VER1
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Date published: April 2013
Review date: April 2016
© 2013 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust