ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to compare three different fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns,
namely, a nonreactive pattern with good long-term variability (fluctuation of 5 or
more beats/min), a reactive pattern, and a nonreactive pattern with poor long-term
variability (less than 5 beats/min). For this purpose, nonstress tests done less than
24 hours before delivery and FHR patterns recorded during labor were separately assessed.
Endpoints for comparison were 5-minute Apgar scores, intrauterine growth retardation,
and umbilical blood gas values at birth. Regarding the nonstress test, the prevalence
of low 5-minute Apgar scores in reactive, good variability, and in poor variability
patterns were 7.2%, 5.3%, and 24%, respectively. The prevalences of small for gestational
age newborns were 8%, 17.6%, and 60.6%, respectively. Blood gas values did not differ
significantly. Regarding the FHR patterns during labor, using the same sequence, the
prevalences of low 5-minute Apgar scores were 3.5%, 6%, and 23%, respectively. Small
for gestational age babies occurred in 8.8%, 15.6%, and 80% of the different FHR patterns,
respectively. Regarding umbilical artery blood gas values, the only significant difference
was a lower pH in the poor variability group. No difference was found between the
blood gas values of babies with a reactive pattern and a nonreactive pattern with
good variability.
