Question

this is an OB nursing question

does an absent variability cause hypoxemia?

Answer 1

Intrapartum electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) is widely used practice for the understanding that fetal heart rate is sensitive to hypoxia. During the time of labour, the fetus may have acute hypoxemia during uterine contractions. If the fetus is having well established cardio vascular compensatory defence mechanism, hypoxia can be prevented.

Intrapartum EFM helps to identify whether the changes in FHR patterns , fetuses unable to initiate or to maintain the compensatory defence mechanism in response to hypoxia, becomes acidotic and helps to deliver the baby before they are at the risk of hypoxemia, asphyxia, acidosis, organ damage or death.

Intrapartum EFM records which shows reduced or absent FHR variability with decelerations results in hypoxemia, acidaemia and poor outcome for the fetus. Absent variability means there is difference in the fetal heart rate for about 0 and 5 beats per minute in a given period of time. Absent variability is considered to be a poor prognosis sign.