Fetal distress

What it means

An intrauterine state characterized by suboptimal values in the fetal heart rate, oxygenation of fetal blood, or other parameters indicative of compromise of the fetus. Signs of fetal distress include repetitive variable decelerations, fetal tachycardia or bradycardia, late decelerations, or low biophysical profile.

Fetal distress in itself is a non-specific term as the various parameters characterizing the type and degree of distress are themselves ill defined. Nonethless the term is in broad clinical use and thus is included as an HPO term. It is preferable to annotate with more precise terms if possible.

Rare diseases that can present with this9

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Foetal distress