What it means
A pattern on the fetal monitor in which the baby's heart rate slowly drops and returns to baseline in step with a contraction, so the dip mirrors the contraction curve. The lowest point lines up with the peak of the contraction. It happens when the baby's head is pressed during contractions, often as labor moves along, and it is a benign pattern that needs no intervention.
For the nurse
Compare the timing of each dip with the contraction tracing: early decelerations mirror the contraction, while late decelerations start after its peak and end after it is over. Keep watching the whole tracing, including baseline and fetal heart rate variabilityFEE-tul hart rayt vair-ee-uh-BIL-ih-teeThe small, irregular ups and downs of the baby's baseline heart rate seen on a fetal monitor tracing.Full entry .
Remember it
VEAL CHOP: Early deceleration goes with Head compression.
At a glance
| Also written | early decelerations |
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Related terms
uterine contraction
A tightening and then relaxing of the muscle of the uterus (womb), as happens during labor.
contraction frequency
How often labor contractions come: the time between the starts of two contractions in a row.
fetal heart rate variability
The small, irregular ups and downs of the baby's baseline heart rate seen on a fetal monitor tracing.