What it means
A dip in the fetal heart rateFEE-tul hart raytThe number of times the unborn baby's heart beats per minute.Full entry during labor or monitoring. Decelerations are named by their shape and timing with contractions. An early decelerationUR-lee dee-sel-er-AY-shunA gradual dip in the fetal heart rate that starts, bottoms out and ends at the same times as a uterine contraction.Full entry mirrors the contraction and comes from pressure on the baby's head. A variable deceleration is sudden and differently shaped each time and comes from pressure on the umbilical cord. A late decelerationLATE dee-sel-uh-RAY-shunA gradual drop in the fetal heart rate that starts and hits its lowest point after the peak of a contraction.Full entry starts after the contraction peaks and comes from reduced blood flow through the placenta.
Remember it
VEAL CHOP: Variable–Cord, Early–Head, Accelerations–OK, Late–Placenta.
At a glance
| Also written | decelerations |
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Related terms
fetal heart rate
The number of times the unborn baby's heart beats per minute.
late deceleration
A gradual drop in the fetal heart rate that starts and hits its lowest point after the peak of a contraction.
early deceleration
A gradual dip in the fetal heart rate that starts, bottoms out and ends at the same times as a uterine contraction.