The Measurement and Significance of Transient Fetal Bradycardia During Labour

Abstract

Summary The quantitative measure of transient bradycardia during labour is significantly related to the neonatal condition. The temporal relationship of fetal bradycardia to uterine contractions is not important. The aetiology of trnasient fetal bradycardia during labour in uncertain.

Intrapartum Cardiotocography

“…This accounts for difficulty in the definition of normality. The significance of the classical responses is not universally accepted (O'Gureck, 1972; Tipton and Finch, 1972) and other responses such as overshoot or rebound patterns (Goodlin and Lowe, 1974) have been advocated increasingly as prognostic signs.…”

Progression in Response Patterns of Fetal Heart Rate Throughout Labour

“…T h s accounts for difficulty in the definition of normality. The significance of the classical responses is not universally accepted (O'Gureck, 1972;Tipton and Finch, 1972) and other responses such as overshoot or rebound patterns (Goodlin and Lowe, 1974) have been advocated increasingly as prognostic signs.…”

The Oxytocin Stress Test and the Isoxsuprine Placental Transfer Test in the Management of Suspected Placental Insufficiency

“…Of the three types of fetal heart deceleration designated early, variable and late according to the temporal relationship with the eliciting uterine contraction, the last is most serious in respect of fetal asphyxia (Hon, 1968) and we conformed to previous practice in rating a test as positive when late decelerations were noted. The other varieties of deceleration have a less sinister reputation but nevertheless Tipton and Finch (1972) relate the neonatal condition not to the timing of the deceleration but to the dip area. Acceleration of the fetal heart following mild asphyxia has been observed in lambs (Dawes et al, 1971) and although Hon (1968) considers that contraction-related accelerations may be an early indication of fetal compromise, Beard et al (1971) possibilities, a stress test was deemed borderline when any alteration of fetal heart rate other than late deceleration accompanied the uterine contractions.…”