A biophysical profile is a way to assess the health of a term or near-term fetus. It consists of an ultrasound that specifically looks at the baby's breathing movements, gross body movements, muscle tone, and the amount of amniotic fluid present. Each of these elements are scored 0, 1 or 2 based on defined standards.

Most doctors will then also perform an NST (Non-Stress Test), which simply involves monitoring the baby's heartrate for a period of 20 or more minutes, looking specifically for heartrate accelerations with the baby's movements. A score of 10 out of 10 (or 8 out of 8 if the NST is not performed) is a very good indication of your baby's well-being.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.