Intermediate
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
non-stress test
Prenatal monitoring test assessing fetal heart rate response to fetal movement.
Full Definition
A non-invasive prenatal surveillance test that monitors fetal heart rate and uterine contractions, typically performed in the third trimester to assess fetal well-being. During the test, the fetal heart rate is monitored for 20-40 minutes while looking for accelerations in response to fetal movement. A reactive (normal) test shows at least two accelerations of 15 beats per minute lasting 15 seconds within a 20-minute period. Non-reactive tests may require additional evaluation or delivery consideration depending on clinical context.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate 'non-stress' when used as an adjective. Often abbreviated as 'NST' in clinical practice.
In Context
- "The non-stress test was reactive with good variability and accelerations." — Antepartum testing report
- "Schedule twice-weekly non-stress tests for patients with gestational diabetes." — High-risk pregnancy protocol
Also known as
NST
fetal monitoring
Contrasted with
stress test
contraction stress test
Don't confuse with
biophysical profile
contraction stress test
fetal movement count