Six vital heartbeat monitors for unborn babies have been donated to the maternity unit at Ipswich Hospital.

The handheld machines, called doppler fetal monitors, are used to detect the baby’s heartbeat during ante-natal appointments and throughout labour, allowing midwives to take action quickly if they notice any abnormalities.

They have been donated by national charity Baby Lifeline, which funds maternity equipment and training for healthcare professionals.

Alison Littler, head of midwifery at the hospital, said: “We are very grateful to Baby Lifeline for this fantastic donation.

“A doppler is a vital piece of equipment which is used during every single pregnancy. Each of our community midwives carries a machine, and we also have them in every delivery room and operating theatre.

“The new machines will be used alongside our existing dopplers to help us monitor the heart rate and health of thousands of unborn babies every single year.”

Baby Lifeline has worked with Ipswich Hospital for many years delivering specialist training for its maternity staff.

Judy Ledger, founder and chief executive of Baby Lifeline, said: “The professionals we meet and support are wonderfully caring and so lovely to work with, and with still more monitoring items on the wish list - we are committed to support further.”