CTG

Question 1

What do they do?

Answer 1

Record pressure changes in uterus with internal or external pressure transducers

Measure fetal wellbeing

Question 2

Possible findings and their causes
-baseline bradycardia (U100)

Answer 2

Increased fetal vagal tone
Maternal Bb use

Question 3

Possible findings and their causes
-baseline tachycardia (160+)

Answer 3

Maternal fever
Chorioamnionitis
Hypoxia
Prematurity

Question 4

Possible findings and their causes
-loss of baseline variability (U5beats/min)

Answer 4

Prematurity
Hypoxia

Short episodes - sleeping

Question 5

Possible findings and their causes
-early deceration

Answer 5

Deceleration of HR which starts with onset of contraction and returns to normal on completion of contraction

Usually innocuous feature and indicates head compression

Question 6

Possible findings and their causes
-late deceleration

Answer 6

Deceleration of HR which lags the onset of contraction and does not return to normal until 30s after end of contraction

Indicates fetal distress (asphyxia, placental insufficiency)

Question 7

Possible findings and their causes
-variable decelerations

Answer 7

Independent of contractions

Cord compression