©Jason McConnel 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
EFM Exam Questions With Correct Answers
A+
A full description of a fetal heart rate tracing requires a qualitative and quantitative description of
uterine contractions, as well as: - Answer✔1. Baseline rate
2. Baseline fetal heart rate variability
3. Presence of accelerations
4. Periodic or episodic decelerations
5. Changes or trends of fetal heart rate patterns over time
No distinction is made between short-term variability (or beat-to-beat variability or R-R wave
period differences in the electrocardiogram) and long-term variability because in actual practice
they are visually determined as a unit.
Baseline fetal heart rate is the approximate mean fetal heart rate rounded to increments of 5 beats
per minute (bpm) during a 10-minute segment, excluding: - Answer✔1. Accelerations
2. Decelerations
3. Periods of marked variability (> 25 beats per minute)
baseline fetal heart rate - Answer✔is the approximate mean fetal heart rate rounded to
increments of 5 beats per minute during a 10-minute segment. Note that the baseline is defined
as a single rate not as a range. In any 10-minute window the minimum baseline duration must be
at least 2 minutes (not necessarily contiguous) or the baseline for that period is indeterminate. In
this case one may need to refer to the previous 10-minute segment(s) for determination of the
baseline.
fetal bradycardia - Answer✔is < 110 beats per minute
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, ©Jason McConnel 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
fetal tachycardia - Answer✔is >160 bpm
Evaluation of a fetal heart rate pattern must take into account maternal medical conditions as
well as estimated gestational age. true or false? - Answer✔true
Baseline variability is defined as fluctuations in the baseline that are regular in amplitude and
frequency. true or false? - Answer✔false
Short-term (beat-to-beat) variability is distinct from long-term variability and should be visually
determined and documented separately. true or false? - Answer✔false----No distinction is made
between short-term variability (or beat-to-beat variability or R-R wave period differences in the
electrocardiogram) and long-term variability because in actual practice they are visually
determined as a unit.
baseline variability - Answer✔Baseline variability is defined as fluctuations in the baseline that
are irregular in amplitude and frequency.
Acceleration is defined as a visually apparent gradual increase in the fetal heart rate above
baseline. true or false? - Answer✔false
At 32 weeks of gestation and beyond, a fetal heart rate acceleration is defined by a peak at least
20 beats per minute above the baseline and a duration of at least 20 seconds. true or false? -
Answer✔false. At 32 weeks of gestation and beyond, an acceleration has a peak of 15 beats per
minute or more above the baseline, with a duration of 15 seconds or more, but less than 2
minutes from onset to return.
Before 32 weeks of gestation, an acceleration is defined as an abrupt increase in the fetal heart
rate at least 10 beats per minute above baseline lasting at least 10 seconds. - Answer✔true
Fetal heart rate variability is measurable only with a direct fetal electrode; it cannot be defined
using an external Doppler device.
true or false? - Answer✔false
acceleration - Answer✔is defined as a visually apparent abrupt increase (defined as onset of
acceleration to peak in < 30 seconds) in the fetal heart rate above the baseline.
abrupt - Answer✔Abrupt = Onset to peak < 30 seconds
Abrupt = Onset to nadir < 30 seconds ( The decrease is ≥ 15 beats per minute, lasting ≥ 15
seconds, and < 2 minutes from onset to return to baseline.)
gradual - Answer✔Gradual = Onset to peak ≥ 30 seconds
Gradual = Onset to nadir ≥ 30 seconds
what is abrupt or gradual pertaining to peak? - Answer✔accelerations
what is abrupt or gradual pertaining to nadir? - Answer✔decelerations
nadir - Answer✔means the lowest point
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EFM Exam Questions With Correct Answers
A+
A full description of a fetal heart rate tracing requires a qualitative and quantitative description of
uterine contractions, as well as: - Answer✔1. Baseline rate
2. Baseline fetal heart rate variability
3. Presence of accelerations
4. Periodic or episodic decelerations
5. Changes or trends of fetal heart rate patterns over time
No distinction is made between short-term variability (or beat-to-beat variability or R-R wave
period differences in the electrocardiogram) and long-term variability because in actual practice
they are visually determined as a unit.
Baseline fetal heart rate is the approximate mean fetal heart rate rounded to increments of 5 beats
per minute (bpm) during a 10-minute segment, excluding: - Answer✔1. Accelerations
2. Decelerations
3. Periods of marked variability (> 25 beats per minute)
baseline fetal heart rate - Answer✔is the approximate mean fetal heart rate rounded to
increments of 5 beats per minute during a 10-minute segment. Note that the baseline is defined
as a single rate not as a range. In any 10-minute window the minimum baseline duration must be
at least 2 minutes (not necessarily contiguous) or the baseline for that period is indeterminate. In
this case one may need to refer to the previous 10-minute segment(s) for determination of the
baseline.
fetal bradycardia - Answer✔is < 110 beats per minute
1|Page
, ©Jason McConnel 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
fetal tachycardia - Answer✔is >160 bpm
Evaluation of a fetal heart rate pattern must take into account maternal medical conditions as
well as estimated gestational age. true or false? - Answer✔true
Baseline variability is defined as fluctuations in the baseline that are regular in amplitude and
frequency. true or false? - Answer✔false
Short-term (beat-to-beat) variability is distinct from long-term variability and should be visually
determined and documented separately. true or false? - Answer✔false----No distinction is made
between short-term variability (or beat-to-beat variability or R-R wave period differences in the
electrocardiogram) and long-term variability because in actual practice they are visually
determined as a unit.
baseline variability - Answer✔Baseline variability is defined as fluctuations in the baseline that
are irregular in amplitude and frequency.
Acceleration is defined as a visually apparent gradual increase in the fetal heart rate above
baseline. true or false? - Answer✔false
At 32 weeks of gestation and beyond, a fetal heart rate acceleration is defined by a peak at least
20 beats per minute above the baseline and a duration of at least 20 seconds. true or false? -
Answer✔false. At 32 weeks of gestation and beyond, an acceleration has a peak of 15 beats per
minute or more above the baseline, with a duration of 15 seconds or more, but less than 2
minutes from onset to return.
Before 32 weeks of gestation, an acceleration is defined as an abrupt increase in the fetal heart
rate at least 10 beats per minute above baseline lasting at least 10 seconds. - Answer✔true
Fetal heart rate variability is measurable only with a direct fetal electrode; it cannot be defined
using an external Doppler device.
true or false? - Answer✔false
acceleration - Answer✔is defined as a visually apparent abrupt increase (defined as onset of
acceleration to peak in < 30 seconds) in the fetal heart rate above the baseline.
abrupt - Answer✔Abrupt = Onset to peak < 30 seconds
Abrupt = Onset to nadir < 30 seconds ( The decrease is ≥ 15 beats per minute, lasting ≥ 15
seconds, and < 2 minutes from onset to return to baseline.)
gradual - Answer✔Gradual = Onset to peak ≥ 30 seconds
Gradual = Onset to nadir ≥ 30 seconds
what is abrupt or gradual pertaining to peak? - Answer✔accelerations
what is abrupt or gradual pertaining to nadir? - Answer✔decelerations
nadir - Answer✔means the lowest point
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