The Three Types of Fetal Heart Monitoring
1. Home Fetal Doppler (HeartBeats™)
Purpose: Bonding, reassurance, personal monitoring between appointments
Technology: Continuous wave (CW) Doppler ultrasound at 2.5 MHz
Output: Audible heartbeat + BPM display
Who uses it: Expectant parents at home
Cost: $79
2. Clinical Handheld Doppler (OB Office)
Purpose: Quick fetal heart rate check during prenatal visits
Technology: CW Doppler ultrasound at 2–3 MHz — same technology as HeartBeats™
Output: Audible heartbeat + BPM display
Who uses it: OBs, midwives, labor nurses
Cost: $200–600
3. Hospital CTG / NST Monitor (Non-Stress Test)
Purpose: Clinical assessment of fetal wellbeing, contraction monitoring
Technology: External tocodynamometry + Doppler ultrasound
Output: Paper/digital tracing of heart rate variability over time, uterine contractions
Who uses it: Hospital staff, high-risk OB monitoring
Cost: $3,000–15,000+
HeartBeats™ Is Functionally Equivalent to Clinical Handheld Dopplers
The HeartBeats™ device operates at the same fundamental technology as the handheld dopplers used by your OB during prenatal visits. Both use:
- 2–2.5 MHz continuous wave Doppler ultrasound
- A single probe transducer
- Output of audible heartbeat signal and BPM reading
The primary differences between HeartBeats™ and a clinical handheld doppler are price point, build quality, and regulatory classification. The underlying acoustic technology is equivalent.
What Only Clinical Equipment Can Do
| Capability | HeartBeats™ | Clinical Handheld | CTG/NST Monitor |
|---|
| Detect heartbeat and BPM | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Assess heart rate variability (HRV) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Detect non-reassuring patterns | ❌ | Limited | ✅ |
| Monitor uterine contractions simultaneously | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Assess amniotic fluid levels | ❌ | ❌ | Via ultrasound only |
| Diagnose fetal distress | ❌ | ❌ | Partial |
| Provide biophysical profile | ❌ | ❌ | Requires imaging ultrasound |
When Each Is Appropriate
| Situation | Appropriate Tool |
|---|
| Listening for baby between appointments (bonding) | HeartBeats™ ✅ |
| Counting fetal heartbeat at OB appointment | Clinical handheld |
| 36-week growth scan and presentation check | Hospital ultrasound |
| High-risk pregnancy monitoring | CTG/NST |
| Decreased fetal movement | Hospital evaluation (not home doppler) |
| Post-dates management (41+ weeks) | NST and clinical evaluation |
The Complementary Approach
HeartBeats™ and clinical monitoring are complementary, not competitive. Regular OB appointments with clinical equipment provide the diagnostic depth that home monitoring cannot. HeartBeats™ fills the space between appointments — providing the emotional connection and simple reassurance that a heartbeat is present, without replacing any clinical monitoring.
Never use HeartBeats™ to delay or replace a scheduled OB appointment or a call to your provider when you have a clinical concern.
Related: Safety · FDA Clearance · Product Overview
