The fetal heart rate W-sign.
A biphasic fetal heart rate variable deceleration pattern (W-sign) was investigated and found to be significantly associated with a greater length of umbilical cord (73.07 +/- 17.1 cm) than was found in patients without this pattern (56.47 +/- 11.4 cm) during the first stage of labor (P less than .001). The possible etiology of this variable deceleration pattern and its relative benignity are discussed.
D001919:Bradycardia; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D005323:Fetal Monitoring; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008470:Meconium; D011247:Pregnancy; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology