Prenatal Care Reasons You Might Need a Biophysical Profile (BPP) During Pregnancy By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH twitter linkedin Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH is a professor, author, childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, and lactation counselor. Learn about our editorial process Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG on September 30, 2020 Brian Levine, MD, MS, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Learn about our Review Board Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG on September 30, 2020 Print Blend Images / Getty Images A Biophysical Profile (BPP) is a test that is performed in late pregnancy using ultrasound and fetal monitoring. The Biophysical Profile is done as a way to try to watch how your baby is doing at the end of pregnancy. Biophysical Profile Scoring Your baby will be scored on five things during the test. A score of 0 (abnormal) or 2 (normal) will be given in each of these categories:Muscle toneBody movementsBreathing movementsAmniotic fluid levelsHeart rate Reasons for a BPP Your doctor or midwife will use the numbers given, along with other factors to decide what to do, if anything with your treatment. This may include doing nothing, waiting and repeating the test, inducing labor, or a cesarean. Here are some reasons that you may have a Biophysical Profile (BPP) ordered for your baby: Your pregnancy has gone past your due date or past 40 weeks gestationYou are carrying multiples (twins or more)You have had a previous pregnancy loss (stillbirth)You are experiencing a complication of amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios)You have diabetes or gestational diabetesYou have preeclampsia or other hypertensive disorder in pregnancyYour baby has intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)Other pregnancy complications that your practitioner thinks deserve a better look This may be a test that you have done once in your pregnancy, once a month or some other regularly scheduled timing. You can discuss what your practitioner is looking for and what the expected outcomes may be depending on what the numbers say. This explanation will also take into consideration other factors in your prenatal care. Why a Doctor Recommends a Biophysical Profile Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Special Tests for Monitoring Fetal Well-Being. Updated May 2019. Additional Reading Special Tests for Monitoring Fetal Health. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Patient Education Pamphlet.