The nurse caring for a woman in labor understands that prolonged decelerations:

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Prolonged decelerations are caused by a disruption in the fetal oxygen supply.They usually begin as a reflex response to hypoxia.If the disruption continues,the fetal cardiac tissue itself will become hypoxic,resulting in direct myocardial depression of the FHR.These can be caused by prolonged cord compression,uteroplacental insufficiency,or perhaps sustained head compression.Prolonged decelerations lasting more than 10 minutes are considered a baseline change that may require intervention.A prolonged deceleration is a visually apparent decrease (may be either gradual or abrupt)in fetal heart rate (FHR)of at least 15 beats/min below the baseline and lasting more than 2 minutes but less than 10 minutes.Nurses should notify the physician or nurse-midwife immediately and initiate appropriate treatment of abnormal patterns when they see a prolonged deceleration.

The Nurse Caring for a Woman in Labor Understands That