What does persistent late deceleration indicate about the placenta?

Persistent late deceleration in fetal heart rate monitoring is a significant indicator of placental insufficiency. This type of deceleration occurs after a contraction and suggests that the fetus is experiencing a decrease in oxygenation due to compromised blood flow from the placenta.

In a normal functioning placenta, you would expect to see either no deceleration or early decelerations that return to baseline fetal heart rate shortly after the contraction. However, when late decelerations persist, this raises concern about the placenta's ability to provide adequate blood and oxygen supply to the fetus, signaling that it may be failing.

This condition can be caused by various factors such as uteroplacental insufficiency, which might result from maternal hypotension, anemia, or certain pathologies affecting the placenta. Monitoring for late decelerations thus becomes crucial in assessing fetal wellbeing and can prompt further investigation or intervention to prevent potential fetal distress or complications.