Title: Checking her pulse
Course: Antenatal Care Part 1 - Ethiopia (Full)

Checking her pulse

Figure 9.5 Use two or three fingers (never your thumb) to feel the pulse in the neck or inside of the wrist.

The pulse tells you how fast the heart is beating. Every time the heart beats (contracts) it pushes blood out into the arteries. You can feel each 'pulse' by pressing gently on an artery with your fingers. Everyone's pulse is different. That is normal. You can find the pulse in the throat or wrist, as shown in Figure 9.5.

Healthy pulse

The normal pulse rate is about 60 to 80 beats a minute when the woman is resting.

Warning sign

The pulse rate is 100 or more beats a minute when the woman is resting.