What is considered a deceleration in fetal heart rate?

A deceleration is a decrease in the fetal heart rate below the fetal baseline heart rate. An early deceleration is defined as a waveform with a gradual decrease and return to baseline with time from onset of the deceleration to the lowest point of the deceleration >30 seconds.

What does a late deceleration in the fetal heart rate indicate?

Late decelerations are one of the precarious decelerations among the three types of fetal heart rate decelerations during labor. They are caused by decreased blood flow to the placenta and can signify an impending fetal acidemia.

What do early decelerations indicate?

Early deceleration describes the symmetrical decreases and return-to-normal of the fetal heart rate that is linked to uterine contractions. The decrease in heart rate occurs gradually.

What causes decelerations in fetal heart rate?

24 Variable decelerations are caused by compression of the umbilical cord. Pressure on the cord initially occludes the umbilical vein, which results in an acceleration (the shoulder of the deceleration) and indicates a healthy response.

What is a Category 3 fetal heart rate?

NICHD Category III (CIII) fetal heart rate tracing (FHR) is defined as having either sinusoidal pattern or absent baseline variability plus recurrent late decelerations, recurrent variable decelerations, or bradycardia.

How do you calculate late deceleration?

The nadir of the early deceleration occurs with the peak of a contraction. A late deceleration is defined as a waveform with a gradual decrease and return to baseline with time from onset of the deceleration to the lowest point of the deceleration (nadir) >30 seconds.

How do you identify late decelerations?

A late deceleration is a symmetric fall in the fetal heart rate, beginning at or after the peak of the uterine contraction and returning to baseline only after the contraction has ended (Figure 6). The descent and return are gradual and smooth.

How do you do fetal heart tones?

Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring Procedure

1. Your doctor will ask you to undress and lie down on an exam table or labor bed.
2. You’ll get clear gel on your belly.
3. Your doctor will press a gadget called Doppler transducer to your belly and move it around.
4. You’ll hear the sound of your baby’s heartbeat.

How is baseline calculated for FHR?

The baseline FHR is the heart rate during a 10 minute segment rounded to the nearest 5 beat per minute increment excluding periods of marked FHR variability, periodic or episodic changes, and segments of baseline that differ by more than 25 beats per minute. The minimum baseline duration must be at least 2 minutes.

What is variable deceleration?

Variable deceleration. An abrupt* decrease in FHR below the baseline. The decrease is ≥15 bpm, lasting ≥15 secs and <2 minutes from onset to return to baseline. The onset, depth, and duration of variable decelerations commonly vary with successive uterine contractions. Prolonged deceleration.