FHR/FHT - ANSWER Fetal Heart Rate/Fetal Heart Tones
➣ used interchangeably
BPM - ANSWER beats per minute
EFM - ANSWER electronic fetal monitoring
mmHg - ANSWER millimeters of mercury
UC/CTX - ANSWER uterine contraction
MVUs - ANSWER Montevideo units
GA - ANSWER gestational age
FM - ANSWER fetal movement
Nadir - ANSWER low point
Peak - ANSWER high point
1
,AFI - ANSWER amniotic fluid index
ROM, AROM, SROM - ANSWER ROM: rupture of membranes
AROM: artificial rupture of membranes
SROM: spontaneous rupture of membranes
normal AFI range - ANSWER 8 - 25cm
how to measure AFI - ANSWER divide the uterus into 4 quadrants and measure the
amniotic fluid (not including the fetus or placenta) vertically and add them together
2 types of external monitors
➣ what do they measure - ANSWER ➣ ultrasound (US): this measures FHR
➣ tocodynamometer (TOCO): this measures uterine contractions
4 internal monitors
➣ what do they monitor - ANSWER ➣ intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC): uterine
contractions
➣ internal scalp lead (ISL): FHR
➣ fetal scalp electrode (FSE): FHR
➣ fetal electrocardiogram (FECG): FHR
we want to avoid using these because they are invasive
how often do we document EFM if there was an oxytocin induction - ANSWER Q 15
minutes
how is fetal movement assessed?
2
, ➣ why is it important to check for movement - ANSWER asking the mom if she has
felt the baby move recently
➣ decreased movement occurs when a baby is oxygen deprived. decreased fetal movement
often occurs prior to a fetal loss
VEAL CHOP (acronym for FHR interpretation) - ANSWER Variable deceleration (bad) →
Cord compression
Early deceleration → Head compression
Acceleration → O2 Reserves
Late deceleration (bad) → utero-Placental insufficiency
what senses cord compression (which leads to variable deceleration of the fetus)? -
ANSWER baroreceptors can sense pressure changes
why isn't early deceleration of the FHR bad? - ANSWER we expect the head of the
baby to be compressed before vaginal delivery
➣ if there is an early deceleration, we know the vagal nerve is intact and responding
correctly
what does acceleration of the FHR tell us? - ANSWER shows that the baby is active and
has plenty of O2 reserves (this shows the baby is not oxygen deprived)
what causes acceleration of the FHR? (3) - ANSWER ➣ increased fetal movement
➣ scalp stimulation
➣ sound
what does late deceleration indicate?
➣ what senses this change? - ANSWER utero-placental insufficiency from lack of
perfusion
3
➣ used interchangeably
BPM - ANSWER beats per minute
EFM - ANSWER electronic fetal monitoring
mmHg - ANSWER millimeters of mercury
UC/CTX - ANSWER uterine contraction
MVUs - ANSWER Montevideo units
GA - ANSWER gestational age
FM - ANSWER fetal movement
Nadir - ANSWER low point
Peak - ANSWER high point
1
,AFI - ANSWER amniotic fluid index
ROM, AROM, SROM - ANSWER ROM: rupture of membranes
AROM: artificial rupture of membranes
SROM: spontaneous rupture of membranes
normal AFI range - ANSWER 8 - 25cm
how to measure AFI - ANSWER divide the uterus into 4 quadrants and measure the
amniotic fluid (not including the fetus or placenta) vertically and add them together
2 types of external monitors
➣ what do they measure - ANSWER ➣ ultrasound (US): this measures FHR
➣ tocodynamometer (TOCO): this measures uterine contractions
4 internal monitors
➣ what do they monitor - ANSWER ➣ intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC): uterine
contractions
➣ internal scalp lead (ISL): FHR
➣ fetal scalp electrode (FSE): FHR
➣ fetal electrocardiogram (FECG): FHR
we want to avoid using these because they are invasive
how often do we document EFM if there was an oxytocin induction - ANSWER Q 15
minutes
how is fetal movement assessed?
2
, ➣ why is it important to check for movement - ANSWER asking the mom if she has
felt the baby move recently
➣ decreased movement occurs when a baby is oxygen deprived. decreased fetal movement
often occurs prior to a fetal loss
VEAL CHOP (acronym for FHR interpretation) - ANSWER Variable deceleration (bad) →
Cord compression
Early deceleration → Head compression
Acceleration → O2 Reserves
Late deceleration (bad) → utero-Placental insufficiency
what senses cord compression (which leads to variable deceleration of the fetus)? -
ANSWER baroreceptors can sense pressure changes
why isn't early deceleration of the FHR bad? - ANSWER we expect the head of the
baby to be compressed before vaginal delivery
➣ if there is an early deceleration, we know the vagal nerve is intact and responding
correctly
what does acceleration of the FHR tell us? - ANSWER shows that the baby is active and
has plenty of O2 reserves (this shows the baby is not oxygen deprived)
what causes acceleration of the FHR? (3) - ANSWER ➣ increased fetal movement
➣ scalp stimulation
➣ sound
what does late deceleration indicate?
➣ what senses this change? - ANSWER utero-placental insufficiency from lack of
perfusion
3
