Late Decelerations - PubMed Lecture Notes
Introduction
- Late decelerations are a type of fetal heart rate deceleration occurring during labor.
- They are indicative of uteroplacental insufficiency leading to decreased blood flow to the placenta.
- Can be a sign of impending fetal acidemia.
Definition
- Late Deceleration: A gradual, visually apparent decrease in fetal heart rate following uterine contraction.
- Gradual decrease: onset to nadir takes 30 seconds or more.
- Sequence: follows the onset, peak, and return of uterine contractions.
- Characteristics: Shallow, slow onset, and gradual return to normal baseline.
Causes
- Mainly caused by uteroplacental insufficiency.
Authors & Affiliations
- Leela Sharath Pillarisetty, Midland Memorial / Texas Tech University.
- Bradley N. Bragg, Mayo Clinic Florida.
Conflict of Interest
- No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies declared by authors.
Sections Overview
- Continuing Education Activity
- Introduction
- Etiology
- Epidemiology
- Pathophysiology
- History and Physical
- Evaluation
- Treatment / Management
- Differential Diagnosis
- Prognosis
- Complications
- Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes
- Review Questions
- References
References Highlights
- ACOG Practice Bulletin on intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring.
- Jensen et al. study on uterine blood flow effects on fetal blood distribution.
- Reid et al. study on maternal placental blood flow reduction effects.
- Martin et al. study on mechanisms of late decelerations with autonomic blocking agents.
- Ross MG study on electronic fetal monitoring updates.
Additional Resources
- Full text available on NCBI Bookshelf.
- Related information can be accessed via MedGen and other databases.
The above notes summarize the critical information related to late decelerations as presented in the PubMed article, providing an overview of definitions, causes, author information, and key sections for further reference.