This document categorizes fetal heart rate tracing patterns into 3 categories. Category I indicates a normal pattern with a heart rate of 110-160 bpm and moderate variability. Category II is indeterminate. Category III suggests distress, including absent variability along with recurrent late or variable decelerations, bradycardia, or a sinusoidal pattern.

1. Fetal heart rate tracing patterns
Category I
Requires all the following criteria:
• Baseline 110-160/min
• Moderate variability (6-25/min)
• No late/variable decelerations
• ± Early decelerations
• ± Accelerations
Category II • Not category I or III (indeterminate pattern)
Category III
≥ 1 of the following characteristics:
• Absent variability + recurrent late decelerations
• Absent variability + recurrent variable decelerations
• Absent variability + bradycardia
• Sinusoidal pattern