Fetal Health Surveillance 2026
Exam Questions and Correct
Answers | New Update
Tachysystole - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Any excessive uterine activity (UA); >5
contractions in a 10 minute window, averaged over 30 mins.
Repetitive Decelerations - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔3 or more decels in a row
Recurrent Decelerations - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Decels that occur with >50% of
contractions in a 20 minute period
,Intermittent Decelerations - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Decels that occur with <50% of
contractions in a 20 minute period
Gradual Deceleration - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔≥30 seconds from onset to nadir
Episodic Gradual Deceleration - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔A gradual decel NOT
associated with a contraction
Interpretable Electronic Fetal Monitoring - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Electronic fetal
monitoring tracing that has a continuous display of the fetal heart rate and
uterine activity with minimal gaps.
Uterine Activity - How is this documented? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Number of
contractions present in a 10-minute window, averaged over 30 minutes
(e.g. 3 contractions in 10 minutes) - UNLESS atypical/abnormal in the first
10 minutes of tachysystole - initiate a response without averaging over 30
minutes
Recommended (minimum) tracing for EFM - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔20 Minutes
Early Deceleration - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔*safe*. Begin prior to peak of the
contraction and end by the end of it. Caused by head compression (E.G
associated with fetal descent in the pelvis / full dilation). No need for
,intervention if variability is within normal range and the FHR is within
normal range. Characteristic of nadir occurring at same time as peak of
contraction. *Usually symmetrical*. Return to normal by end of contraction.
**Early decelerations are said to be a mirror image of the contractions.**
Uncomplicated variable deceleration - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Caused by cord
compression. 15 BPM below baseline lasting >15s. Often have shoulders
(initial accel, followed by rapid decel to the nadir, rapid return to baseline,
followed by secondary brief accel). Common in late 1st stage.
*NORMAL* if occasional uncomplicated variable decelerations occur
*ATYPICAL* if repetitive (greater than or equal to 3) uncomplicated variable
decelerations occur
Complicated Variable Deceleration - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔*Not ok - May be
indicative of fetal hypoxia / acidemia* Also caused by cord compression,
but does not return to baseline by end of contraction. Any of: May last >60s
AND go down to <60BPM OR decrease by >60BPM below baseline;
overshoot of 20BPM X 20secs after decel; variable decel in presence of
3
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STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, minimal or absent baseline variability, OR baseline tachycardia/
bradycardia. Can occur in 1st or 2nd stage.
Late decelerations - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔*Also not ok - indicates uteroplacental
insufficiency, or decreased uteroplacental blood flow during contraction /
associated with fetal hypoxia and acidemia* . = lowered fetal pO2.
Symmetrical - gradual drop and return to baseline, but unlike early decels,
the onset, nadir and recovery occurs AFTER the peak of the contraction.
**Gradual, smooth, delayed deceleration**
IA during 1st stage - how often? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔q15 mins
IA during 2nd stage - how often? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔q5 mins
EFM During 2nd stage - interpret how often? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔At least
q15mins, otherwise q5mins
Spontaneous Accelerations - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔*Good* - Reassuring, but not
required to classify EFM as 'normal'.
Exam Questions and Correct
Answers | New Update
Tachysystole - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Any excessive uterine activity (UA); >5
contractions in a 10 minute window, averaged over 30 mins.
Repetitive Decelerations - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔3 or more decels in a row
Recurrent Decelerations - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Decels that occur with >50% of
contractions in a 20 minute period
,Intermittent Decelerations - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Decels that occur with <50% of
contractions in a 20 minute period
Gradual Deceleration - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔≥30 seconds from onset to nadir
Episodic Gradual Deceleration - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔A gradual decel NOT
associated with a contraction
Interpretable Electronic Fetal Monitoring - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Electronic fetal
monitoring tracing that has a continuous display of the fetal heart rate and
uterine activity with minimal gaps.
Uterine Activity - How is this documented? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Number of
contractions present in a 10-minute window, averaged over 30 minutes
(e.g. 3 contractions in 10 minutes) - UNLESS atypical/abnormal in the first
10 minutes of tachysystole - initiate a response without averaging over 30
minutes
Recommended (minimum) tracing for EFM - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔20 Minutes
Early Deceleration - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔*safe*. Begin prior to peak of the
contraction and end by the end of it. Caused by head compression (E.G
associated with fetal descent in the pelvis / full dilation). No need for
,intervention if variability is within normal range and the FHR is within
normal range. Characteristic of nadir occurring at same time as peak of
contraction. *Usually symmetrical*. Return to normal by end of contraction.
**Early decelerations are said to be a mirror image of the contractions.**
Uncomplicated variable deceleration - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Caused by cord
compression. 15 BPM below baseline lasting >15s. Often have shoulders
(initial accel, followed by rapid decel to the nadir, rapid return to baseline,
followed by secondary brief accel). Common in late 1st stage.
*NORMAL* if occasional uncomplicated variable decelerations occur
*ATYPICAL* if repetitive (greater than or equal to 3) uncomplicated variable
decelerations occur
Complicated Variable Deceleration - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔*Not ok - May be
indicative of fetal hypoxia / acidemia* Also caused by cord compression,
but does not return to baseline by end of contraction. Any of: May last >60s
AND go down to <60BPM OR decrease by >60BPM below baseline;
overshoot of 20BPM X 20secs after decel; variable decel in presence of
3
COPYRIGHT©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2026. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, minimal or absent baseline variability, OR baseline tachycardia/
bradycardia. Can occur in 1st or 2nd stage.
Late decelerations - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔*Also not ok - indicates uteroplacental
insufficiency, or decreased uteroplacental blood flow during contraction /
associated with fetal hypoxia and acidemia* . = lowered fetal pO2.
Symmetrical - gradual drop and return to baseline, but unlike early decels,
the onset, nadir and recovery occurs AFTER the peak of the contraction.
**Gradual, smooth, delayed deceleration**
IA during 1st stage - how often? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔q15 mins
IA during 2nd stage - how often? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔q5 mins
EFM During 2nd stage - interpret how often? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔At least
q15mins, otherwise q5mins
Spontaneous Accelerations - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔*Good* - Reassuring, but not
required to classify EFM as 'normal'.
