Nokea
The nurse is reviewing an electronic fetal monitor tracing from a patient in active labor and notes the fetal heart rate gradually drops to 20 beats per minute (bpm) below the baseline and returns to the baseline well after the completion of the patient's contractions. How will the nurse document these findings?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Early decelerations. Early decelerations occur in response to fetal head compression during contractions, resulting in a gradual decrease in the fetal heart rate that mirrors the timing of contractions. In this scenario, the fetal heart rate drops to 20 bpm below the baseline during contractions and returns to baseline after contractions, indicating a benign pattern. Late decelerations (choice A) occur after the peak of the contraction and are associated with uteroplacental insufficiency. Variable decelerations (choice C) are abrupt decreases in fetal heart rate without a consistent timing in relation to contractions, often due to cord compression. Proximal decelerations (choice D) are not a recognized classification of decelerations in fetal monitoring.