Is the sinusoidal fetal heart pattern sinister?

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Abstract
Sinusoidal fetal heart traces may presage fetal death. Four contrasting examples of this fetal heart pattern are presented and the literature reviewed. It is concluded that sinusoidal traces whose amplitude is less than 10 beats and frequency 3-5/minute may be due to depressant drugs in labour or intra-uterine transfusion and do not require immediate action, particularly if they last for only a few minutes. More prolonged episodes cannot be ignored. High amplitude sinusoidal tracings (< 20 beats) whose frequency is 1-2/minute are an indication for immediate delivery even in the absence of other signs of fetal distress.

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