Fetal tachycardia during breech delivery

Summary

In the second stage of normal breech deliveries 35 fetuses out of 42 born with a good Apgar score had uncomplicated fetal heart rate tachycardia. Fetal heart rate tachycardia with normal baseline variability and no deceleration pattern is a physiological pattern during the second stage of breech delivery. The uncomplicated tachycardia may be due to a slight partial occlusion of the fetal cord between the fetal abdomen or thorax and the maternal pelvis. Reduction in fetal venous return causes uncomplicated fetal heart tachycardia as long as anoxia is not present, and therefore warrants no active measures as long as no other signs of fetal hypoxia appear.