Newborn heart rate, which is normal and which is not?

Every parent, including pregnant women, would want their baby to be in good health without flaws. Unfortunately, newborns do not escape the risk of disease. For example, arrhythmias, which are abnormalities of the heart rate or pulse. What is the normal and abnormal heart rate like for a newborn? Let's look at the following information.

How to assess the heart rate of a newborn?

Measuring the heart rate or pulse is one of the most important parameters to assess whether a baby is healthy or not.

Moreover, there is a change in the respiratory circulation and heart rate from the inside of the womb to the outside world.

There are several methods doctors usually use to assess the normal heart rate of a newborn, such as:

• Using an electrocardiogram (EKG) tool.
• Use pulse oximeter . Not only heart rate, but also oxygen saturation.
• Listen to the heart with a stethoscope, but the accuracy depends on the time interval.

What is the normal heart rate in newborns?

The normal heart rate for newborns ranges between 120-160 beats per minute (BPM).

This figure is accompanied by a respiratory rate in the range of 40-60 breaths per minute at birth.

Even at 30 weeks of gestation, the baby's normal heart rate in the womb should be 120-160 BPM.

Meanwhile, abnormal heart rates for newborns are less than 100 BPM and more than 180 BPM.

Arrhythmias or abnormal heartbeats are actually rare in unborn and newborn babies.

As mentioned earlier, the percentage of abnormal heart rates only occurs in about 1-2 percent of pregnancies until the mother finally gives birth.

Abnormal heart rates or pulse in newborns are also usually temporary and harmless.

Even so, in certain cases, this abnormal heart rate can be fatal or lead to infant death.

What is arrhythmia in newborns?

Arrhythmias in newborns are conditions that occur when there is an abnormality in the heart rate or pulse.

These abnormalities in newborns can include increased heart rate (tachycardia) and decreased heart rate (bradycardia).

Abnormal conditions in the heart rate of newborns usually begin to develop since the baby is still in the mother's womb.

After birth, this condition can cause the newborn's pulse to become irregular.

Newborn heart rate abnormalities (arrhythmias) can be experienced in about 1-2 percent of pregnancies.

What causes problems with the newborn's heart rate?

Before birth, while still in the womb, the fetus's heart can be weak or beat irregularly.

Quoting from the American Pregnancy Association, consuming large amounts of caffeine may be the cause of the baby's irregular heartbeat in the womb.

That is why pregnant women are advised to limit their daily caffeine intake, such as coffee, to at least 200 milliliters (ml) a day.

Meanwhile, for newborns, according to the Cleveland Clinic, an abnormal heartbeat or pulse can be caused by various things.

For example physical conditions such as heart defects, response to external factors, for example fever, infection, or certain drugs.

What are the problems with the newborn's heart rate?

Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) in the development of a newborn are divided into two types.

The two types are distinguished based on the rate of heart rate experienced by the newborn. The following types of arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats, such as:

1. Bradycardia

Bradycardia or bradycardia is a condition when a newborn's heart beats very weakly, even below its normal heart rate.

If your baby's heart rate is supposed to be in the 120-160 BPM range, bradycardia is well below that number.

The heart rate of a baby with bradycardia can be less than 100 BPM or it can be below 80 BPM.

About 50 percent of newborns with bradycardia heart rate can be triggered by mothers who have disorders of the body's connective tissue, such as lupus and so on.

Babies with complete heart blocks may also have congenital heart defects, including disorders of the atria and ventricles of the heart.

This condition then affects the heart rate or heart rate of the newborn.

Complete heart block occurs when there is an interruption in the conduct of the heart's electrical signals. As a result, these electrical impulses cannot flow normally to every part of the heart organ.

Complete heart block can cause the newborn's heart rate to weaken and slow down than usual.

A blockage in the baby's heart while in the womb can affect the heart rate, resulting in a complete heart block.

2. Tachycardia

Tachycardia or tachycardia is a condition when a newborn's heartbeat is too fast.

In contrast to bradycardia, the heart rate of a newborn with tachycardia is either above 160 or 180 BPM.

There are 3 types of tachycardia in newborns that are most common, namely:

• Supraventricular acycardia (SVT)
• Atrial flutter (AF)
• Ventricular tachycardia (VT)

Supraventrical tachycardia (SVT) in newborns is usually characterized by a heart rate greater than 220 BPM.

Babies with this type of tachycardia also breathe faster than usual.

However, you don't need to worry first. Providing the right diagnosis and treatment can cause the symptoms of SVT to fade away within a few months.

SVT can also be detected since the baby is still in the womb.

Is it necessary to perform resuscitation on newborns?

About 1 percent to 3 percent of newborns may need resuscitation.

Resuscitation in infants is an action to maintain blood circulation and oxygen demand. Moreover, when the baby has respiratory failure or the heartbeat stops.

However, medical personnel need to do this at appropriate intervals before brain injury occurs.

The International Liasion Committee on Resuscitation states that the main vital sign for assessing the need for resuscitation is in the heart rate.

The first measurement of heart rate should be taken 30 seconds after birth. Respiratory ventilation is also required when the heart rate is below 100 bpm.

Why is there a change in the pulse rate in a newborn?

There are several factors that affect the rhythm or heart rate of the newborn so that changes occur.

An example is medical conditions in babies such as fever, dehydration, and anemia.

Then, there are other conditions that affect the pumping of the heart muscle or other pathways.

Diagnosing abnormal heartbeats in newborns

Heart rate or pulse abnormalities in babies can be diagnosed at 10-12 weeks of gestation, to be precise during prenatal examinations.

However, on the whole, usually the mother does not show any symptoms related to the condition of the baby in the womb.

Just after birth, the baby's irregular heartbeat or pulse can be checked using the Apgar score or Apgar score.

This examination is usually performed in the first few minutes after the baby is born to help identify any problems with the baby.

The disorder in question is either having difficulty breathing or having other health problems and requiring further treatment.

About 1-5 minutes after birth, the baby's breathing pattern and heart rate will be further checked by doctors and the medical team.

The Apgar score can range from 0-10. If the total score is 10, it means that the baby is in great shape.

On the other hand, the Apgar score of 3 means that immediate treatment is needed to correct a newborn's heart rate problem.

The difficult and time-consuming process of the baby being born can decrease the oxygen supply.

This can then affect the total value on the Apgar score, causing an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).

How is irregular heartbeat in babies treated?

When an irregular heartbeat has been detected in the womb, the doctor may be able to prescribe medication.

It is certain that giving drugs to pregnant women is safe and can help slow down if the baby's heartbeat is too fast.

Meanwhile, irregular heartbeat in newborns is a rare thing.

Even if an abnormal heartbeat occurs in a newborn, in most cases it usually resolves on its own.

Even though the condition of an abnormal heart rate in a baby is not dangerous, you still cannot ignore it.

In certain rare cases, it is feared that irregular heartbeat in newborns can lead to death.

If the case of irregular heartbeat in newborns develops quite severely, you may be asked to seek immediate treatment to a heart specialist.

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