Riester 4191 Pinard Fetal Stethoscope

Riester 4191 Pinard Fetal Stethoscope Overview

The Pinard stethoscope also commonly known as a Pinard horn or fetoscope, is used to listen to the heartbeat of the embryo during pregnancy. This stethoscope is made entirely of aluminum and is a popular, safe method of amplifying sounds from within the womb. There large open end of the cone is pressed against the woman's abdomen and the other end is placed against the ear to hear the heart rate of the fetus.

The Pinard Fetal Stethoscope is great for:

• Checking to ensure the fetal heartbeat is still present
• Determining the position of the fetus as the Pinard horn must be pressed very close to the fetus heart to detect it; thus allowing you to pinpoint its location

This stethoscope remains popular even with the introduction of Doppler fetal monitors for several reasons. Doppler units can mistake the mother's pulse for the fetal heartbeat. This error would be unlikely with the Pinard stethoscope because it has to be so close to pick-up the sounds of the fetal heartbeat. It's also popular among mothers, midwives, and doctors who are concerned about any unknown long-term effects ultrasound waves from a doppler may pose on an unborn baby or mother.