Certification In Electronic Fetal Monitoring (CEFM) Practice Test

Fetal heart block may present with which primary finding on the fetal tracing?

Bradycardia Minimal Variability Sinusoidal Pattern Tachycardia

Correct Answer:

Minimal Variability

Explanation:

Fetal heart block disrupts conduction between the atria and ventricles, so the ventricles pace themselves at a slow, independent rate. On the tracing, this often appears as a bradycardic rhythm that is unusually regular with little beat-to-beat fluctuation in the baseline—minimal variability. The reduced variability occurs because the ventricular rhythm is driven by an intrinsic pacemaker rather than the normal, autonomic-influenced atrial-ventricular conduction. Sinusoidal patterns point to severe anemia or hypoxia, tachycardia to a tachyarrhythmia, and pure bradycardia can occur for other reasons, but the combination of slow rate with minimal variability is characteristic of heart block.

Access more questions from this quiz

Continue to Certification in Electronic Fetal Monitoring (CEFM) Practice Test for more practice questions and the full quiz experience.

Access More Questions