Fetal Doppler Rental – Pros and Cons

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If you’re looking for a fetal heart monitor, you’ve probably noticed that most manufacturers and distributors allow you to purchase or rent their products. This is why many expectant mothers wonder if it’s better to buy or to rent a baby Doppler. Actually, it all depends on your particular needs.

Of course, renting is cheaper than buying your own high-quality fetal Doppler, especially if you don’t plan to have another baby in the near future. If you want a big family, however, you may want to invest in your own unit – in the long run it will be more cost-effective.

Let’s take a closer look at the Doppler rental process. It’s possible to rent a fetal monitor by month, but in this case you’ll have to pay a little bit more in comparison to renting for a longer period (3 or 6 months). So, if you’re pregnant and you don’t want to buy an expensive fetal heart monitor that will be useless after you give birth, renting one for several months can be really practical and affordable.

Expect to pay from $20 to $50 per month, depending on the quality of the equipment and the length of the rental period.

Many manufacturers are offering the possibility to rent a fetal Doppler. Among them, I will name just a few companies: Belly Beats, Stork Radio, Sweet Beats, Baby Beat, Dynamic Doppler, Fetal Sure, Heartbeats at Home and so on.

In order to benefit from all the advantages of the fetal heart monitor rental and to avoid any problems that may appear because of the low quality of the unit, make a good research first. All expectant mothers should be aware that the fetal heart monitors work by using ultrasound waves. While specialists agree that ultrasound is safe for the human body, moderate use is still recommended. Make sure that the Doppler you wish to rent is FDA approved and it includes all the features that you may need. For example, some monitors have a 2 MHz frequency, while others use 3 MHz waves; you can also choose between products that offer only real-time audio reproduction and others which allow you to record the heart beat of the baby and upload it into your computer. Advanced models can also display the averaged FHR (fetal heart rate).

You should also compare the quality of the offered products, the prices and also the reviews that you can find online. If it’s still hard to make up your mind after gathering all this information, talk to your doctor. He or she will explain how and when to use the device, which are the possible risks you may encounter, which Doppler is best for your particular case and which are the pros and cons of renting a fetal monitor. The physician will also give you a prescription – most companies will not rent you a monitor without it.

Also, don’t forget to read to rental policy of the companies you’re researching. Besides the monthly rental fee check the shipping fees (and other possible fees) and read some more customer reviews!

Renting a fetal heartbeat monitor is not just an easy way of making sure that your baby is healthy. It’s also a wonderful means of sharing the magical moments of hearing the heartbeat of your unborn child with your relatives and friends.