During labor, a fetus is identified as having uteroplacental insufficiency. Which tracing should the nurse assess on the monitor to confirm this finding?

Question

A) Variable decelerations that are too unpredictable to count
B) Fetal baseline rate increasing at least 5 mmHg with contractions
C) A shallow deceleration occurring with the beginning of contractions
D) Fetal heart rate declining late with contractions and remaining depressed

Answer 1

D
Feedback:
Late decelerations are those that are delayed until 30 to 40 seconds after the onset of a contraction and continue beyond the end of a contraction. This is an ominous pattern in labor because it suggests uteroplacental insufficiency or decreased blood flow through the intervillous spaces of the uterus during uterine contractions. With uteroplacental insufficiency, the nurse will not observe on the monitor tracing variable unpredictable decelerations, an increase in fetal heart rate with contractions, or shallow decelerations at the beginning of contractions.