Recurrent late decelerations
NCLEX-RN glossary · Health Promotion And Maintenance
Definition
A pattern of fetal heart rate decreases that occur after the contraction peak, signaling uteroplacental insufficiency. It indicates that the fetus has progressed to hypoxia.
Recurrent late decelerations in plain English
This is a high-priority cue for intrauterine resuscitation, requiring oxytocin to be stopped, maternal positioning, and oxygen administration. A frequent error is recording these as benign variations because maternal vitals appear stable, ignoring the critical cue of fetal distress.
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