A biophysical profile is a way to check the health of your baby some time before birth. A nonstress test and ultrasound are used to do the profile. The test results produce a score of 0 to 10. This score helps your health care provider know more about your baby's health.
Doctors usually recommend a biophysical profile during the third trimester of high-risk pregnancies.
This test helps detect signs of distress resulting from possible complications in the pregnancy. For example, the baby may not be doing well because of problems with the placenta. If the result of a nonstress test of the baby is nonreactive, a biophysical profile may be done. Nonreactive means that the baby didn't move enough during the test or the baby's heart rate did not change the way it should have when the baby did move. In some high-risk pregnancies a biophysical profile is done once or twice a week.