Contraction frequency
NCLEX-RN glossary · Health Promotion And Maintenance
Definition
The timing of uterine activity measured from the start of one contraction to the start of the next.
Contraction frequency in plain English
This is critical for identifying uterine tachysystole, which can compromise placental perfusion and fetal oxygenation. The tempting mistake is confusing frequency with duration by measuring the interval between the end of one contraction and the start of the next.
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