Fetal Monitoring & Assessment Flashcards
7 cards from real CMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Fetal Monitoring & Assessment flashcards as text
Variable decelerations on a fetal monitor are most commonly associated with:
Answer: Umbilical cord compression
Variable decelerations have an abrupt onset and variable shape, classically caused by umbilical cord compression that transiently reduces fetal blood flow.
Late decelerations are clinically significant because they indicate:
Answer: Uteroplacental insufficiency
Late decelerations begin after the contraction peak and represent inadequate oxygen delivery due to uteroplacental insufficiency.
What is the maximum possible score on a biophysical profile?
Answer: 10
The BPP has five parameters each scored 0 or 2, giving a maximum total of 10; a score of 8–10 is reassuring.
Fetal tachycardia is defined as a baseline FHR above which value sustained for more than 10 minutes?
Answer: 160 bpm
A baseline FHR exceeding 160 bpm for more than 10 minutes is classified as fetal tachycardia and may indicate infection, hypoxia, or medication effect.
An amniotic fluid index (AFI) of less than 5 cm is diagnostic of:
Answer: Oligohydramnios
An AFI below 5 cm indicates oligohydramnios, which can result from renal anomalies, prolonged pregnancy, or uteroplacental compromise.
On electronic fetal monitoring, 'variability' reflects the integrity of which fetal system?
Answer: Autonomic nervous system
Baseline FHR variability — the fluctuation in heart rate between beats — is generated by the interplay of the fetal sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
A midwife assistant notices late decelerations on the monitor. Which intervention should be AVOIDED?
Answer: Increasing the oxytocin infusion rate
Increasing oxytocin would intensify contractions and worsen uteroplacental perfusion, exacerbating fetal distress; it should be decreased or stopped.