title: Effect of gestational age on baseline fetal heart rate during the third trimester of pregnancy.
abstract: Analysis of the fetal heart rate in 3,127 reactive nonstress tests revealed that the baseline rate decreased significantly between 28 and 41 weeks' gestation (6.4 beats per minute [4.5%]). Analysis of 235 women with two tests at least four weeks apart revealed that while the majority (51.1%) demonstrated a decrease, 26.8% experienced a rise in the baseline rate during the testing interval.
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy