Fetal Monitoring Categories
This type of variability must be present for a category I strip
What is Moderate Variability?
This is the earliest clinical sign of magnesium toxicity and must be assessed before each dose adjustment.
What is loss of deep tendon reflexes?
A laboring patient suddenly develops a firm, board‑like uterus, painful bleeding, and nonreassuring fetal heart tones.
What is Placental Abruption?
This scoring system predicts the likelihood of a successful induction and guides the choice of cervical ripening methods.
What is Bishop score?
This medication is given for fetal neuroprotection when preterm delivery before 32 weeks is imminent.
What is magnesium sulfate?
This prolonged FHR change lasting 2–10 minutes is considered Category II.
What is Prolonged Deceleration?
This uterine pattern, defined as more than five contractions in 10 minutes, is the most common adverse effect of oxytocin.
What is tachysystole?
A fetal heart rate tracing shows sudden, profound bradycardia after a gush of fluid during an artificial rupture of membranes.
What is umbilical cord prolapse?
A Bishop score of 6 is considered “borderline.” This intervention is often used before oxytocin to improve induction success.
What is cervical ripening (mechanical or prostaglandin)?
This is the most common maternal complication associated with PPROM, often signaled by fever, uterine tenderness, and fetal tachycardia
What is chorioamnionitis?
Category that classifies minimal variability, no decelerations, and baseline of 140
What is category II?
This medication is given for uterine atony but is contraindicated in patients with hypertension.
What is methylergonovine (methergine)?
A previously stable patient in labor suddenly collapses with hypoxia, hypotension, and DIC without warning.
What is amniotic fluid embolism?
This mechanical method of cervical ripening is preferred in high‑risk patients because it has a lower risk of tachysystole compared with prostaglandins.
What is foley balloon or Cook's catheter?
This class of medications is used to accelerate fetal lung maturity in PPROM and preterm labor.
What is betamethasone (corticosteroids)?
A prolonged deceleration lasting 2–3 minutes is Category II. It becomes Category III only if it crosses this time threshold.
What is 10 minutes (baseline change)?
This uterotonic is avoided in asthma due to risk of bronchospasm.
What is carboprost (Hemabate)?
A laboring patient with severe preeclampsia develops right upper‑quadrant pain, low platelets, and rising liver enzymes.
What is HELLP syndrome?
This maternal condition is a relative contraindication to aggressive oxytocin augmentation due to increased risk of fluid overload and pulmonary edema.
What is cardiac disease (i.e. cardiomyopathy)?
This condition is suspected when a patient with PPROM develops sudden abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, and a nonreassuring fetal heart rate.
What is placental abruption?
This maternal intervention can rapidly improve a Category III tracing caused by uterine hypertonus, but only if the etiology is iatrogenic.
This medication is used in amniotic fluid embolism to support blood pressure and cardiac output.
What is vasopressors (i.e. norepinephrine)?
A patient attempting a VBAC develops sudden abdominal pain, loss of fetal station, and a prolonged fetal deceleration.
What is uterine rupture?
A Bishop score of 3 in a patient with a prior cesarean increases the risk of this complication if prostaglandins are used
What is uterine rupture?
A patient with PPROM at 27 weeks has a biophysical profile of 4/10 with absent breathing and low fluid. The recommended next step is
What is delivery due to non-reassuring fetal status