What signifies late decelerations in fetal heart rate?

What signifies late decelerations in fetal heart rate?

• A. Cord compression
• B. Fetal hypoxia from deficient placental perfusion
• C. Normal brain activity
• D. Maternal emotional distress

Answer: (B)

Late decelerations in fetal heart rate are primarily a sign of fetal hypoxia due to deficient placental perfusion. This phenomenon occurs when there is a disruption in the blood flow to the placenta, leading to decreased oxygen supply to the fetus. Late decelerations typically show a pattern where the heart rate begins to drop after a contraction and returns to baseline only after the contraction has ended. This indicates that the fetus is not tolerating the stress of the contractions, which is often linked to compromised blood flow and, as a result, reduced oxygen delivery. Understanding this is crucial for monitoring fetal well-being during labor and delivery, as the presence of late decelerations might prompt healthcare providers to take action to improve placental perfusion or expedite delivery to prevent fetal distress. Other factors such as cord compression may lead to variable decelerations rather than late ones, and normal brain activity or maternal emotional distress do not directly correlate with the patterns observed in late decelerations.

Late decelerations in fetal heart rate are primarily a sign of fetal hypoxia due to deficient placental perfusion. This phenomenon occurs when there is a disruption in the blood flow to the placenta, leading to decreased oxygen supply to the fetus. Late decelerations typically show a pattern where the heart rate begins to drop after a contraction and returns to baseline only after the contraction has ended. This indicates that the fetus is not tolerating the stress of the contractions, which is often linked to compromised blood flow and, as a result, reduced oxygen delivery.

Understanding this is crucial for monitoring fetal well-being during labor and delivery, as the presence of late decelerations might prompt healthcare providers to take action to improve placental perfusion or expedite delivery to prevent fetal distress. Other factors such as cord compression may lead to variable decelerations rather than late ones, and normal brain activity or maternal emotional distress do not directly correlate with the patterns observed in late decelerations.