Fetal Monitoring | 合法醫療器材資訊網

Decelerations are temporary drops in the fetal heart rate. There are three basic types of decelerations: early decelerations, late decelerations, and variable decelerations. Early decelerations are generally normal and not concerning. Late and variable decelerations can sometimes be a sign the baby isn’t doing well.

Early decelerations begin before the peak of the contraction. Early decelerations can happen when the baby’s head is compressed. This often happens during later stages of labor as the baby is descending through the birth canal. They may also occur during early labor if the baby is premature or in a breech position. This causes the uterus to squeeze the head during contractions. Early decelerations are generally not harmful.

Late decelerations don’t begin until the peak of a contraction or after the uterine contraction is finished. They’re smooth, shallow dips in heart rate that mirror...