A non-stress test (NST) is a simple, painless check of how your baby is doing. It records your baby's heartbeat, and how it speeds up when your baby moves, for about 20 to 40 minutes.
Your baby's heart rate, and how it rises when your baby moves.
Two soft sensors rest on your belly while you sit back. No needles and no pain.
Nothing is done to your baby. The test only listens and records.
NSTs are usually done in the last three months of pregnancy, most often after 28 weeks, when:
It does not mean something is wrong. Often it is a routine check, once or twice a week, as your doctor decides.
Sit back in a reclining chair or rest on a bed. Use the bathroom first.
One picks up your baby's heartbeat, the other your tightenings (contractions).
Press a button when you feel your baby move. A sleepy baby may need a snack or a gentle sound.
Your care team looks at the recording and tells you what it shows.
What the recording looks like: your baby's heart rate goes up when your baby moves. Illustration, not a real tracing.
Your baby's heart rate went up at least twice during the test, as expected when a baby moves.
The heart rate did not go up enough. Often the baby was simply asleep. Your doctor may continue the test, or do another one, such as a biophysical profile (an NST with an ultrasound).
Don't wait for your next test. Only your doctor or care team can read your recording and explain it.
Can an NST be done at home?
INVU™ by Nuvo is the first FDA-cleared non-stress test a mother takes at home. A soft sensor band rests on your belly, and the INVU™ App on your phone guides each session. Your care team reviews every session in INVU™ Pro.
Prescribed by your OB, for a pregnancy with one baby, from 32 weeks.
INVU™ for mothers → How INVU™ works
INVU by Nuvo® does not replace your prenatal visits or emergency care.
Words you may hear
Baseline
Your baby's usual heart rate at rest.
Acceleration
A short rise in heart rate, often when the baby moves.
Contraction
A tightening of the womb; many are mild.
Biophysical profile
An NST plus an ultrasound check of your baby.
Contraction stress test
A different test: how the heart rate responds to contractions.
Sources: MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), "Nonstress Test"; StatPearls, "Nonstress Test"; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, patient information on fetal testing. Photos: Yan Krukau and MART PRODUCTION on Pexels; INVU™ photo: Nuvo. This page is general information and does not replace advice from your doctor.