St. Luke’s Maternal Fetal Medicine

Biophysical Profile

A biophysical profile or BPP is sometimes ordered when the nonstress test (NST) is not reactive or other concerns arise about the unborn baby’s well being.

The BPP is performed by observing four criteria using ultrasound. They are - Fetal breathing movements, Fetal movement, Fetal tone, and Amniotic fluid volume (AFI).

If these are adequate by ultrasound within 30 minutes, no further testing is recommended. However, the woman’s caregiver may want to continue with testing such as NST or Modified Biophysical Profile weekly or twice weekly. If the test is not adequate in some way, the woman’s caregiver is notified for further instructions.