What does prolonged deceleration of the fetal heart mean?

Prolonged deceleration of the fetal heart is defined as a decrease in the fetal heart rate with a deceleration of ≥15 beats/min that lasts for more than 2 minutes, but not more than 10 minutes, and may indicate a risk of fetal hypoxia. Fetal heart rate monitoring allows continuous recording of dynamic changes in fetal heart rate and fetal movement. Fetal heart rate monitoring can be ordered at 34 weeks of gestation for low-risk pregnancies. When there is a significant slowing of the fetal heart with a decrease of ≥15 beats/minute and a duration of ≥2 minutes, but not more than 10 minutes, prompt intervention is indicated. When fetal heart rate monitoring suggests prolonged deceleration, it may indicate the risk of fetal hypoxia, and intrauterine resuscitation, such as changing position, oxygen and fluid supplementation, etc., needs to be given in accordance with the doctor’s instructions, and when it improves after active treatment, it can continue to wait for delivery or trial of labor under close monitoring of fetal heart rate, and when there is no improvement, it is necessary to terminate the pregnancy to ensure the safety of mothers and infants. When fetal cardiac monitoring suggests that there is prolonged deceleration of the fetal heart, timely treatment is needed to ensure the safety of mother and baby.