Loading...
Changes in fetal heart rate during labor inform obstetric management, but little is known about incidence of terminal fetal heart rate deceleration (i.e., persistent, unresolved deceleration before delivery) and its association with fetal acidemia. In a 5-year retrospective cohort study at one U.S. medical center, investigators certified in electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) analyzed data from all singleton, nonanomalous pregnancies delivered at ≥37 weeks' gestation with ≥30 minutes of EFM data. Terminal deceleration was defined as a decrease of ≥15 beats per minute (bpm) below baseline lasting ≥120 seconds; bradycardia was defined as <110 bpm for ≥10 minutes. Incidence of acidemia (arterial umbilical cord gas pH, ≤7.10) was assessed.
Of 5388…