Inpatient Obstetric Nurse (NCC) Practice Exam 2025 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success!

Reassuring fetal heart rate patterns are critical indicators of fetal well-being. To identify the correct answer regarding characteristics that are NOT reassuring, it’s important to understand what indicates a healthy fetal heart rate.

Normal variability refers to the fluctuations in the fetal heart rate that typically occur in a healthy fetus. This variability indicates a well-oxygenated fetus with a functioning autonomic nervous system. It shows that the fetus can respond to various stimuli, which is a reassuring sign.

The presence of accelerations is another reassuring characteristic. Accelerations are short-term increases in the fetal heart rate that occur with fetal movements and indicate that the fetus is well-oxygenated and reacting appropriately to stimuli.

Decelerations that resolve quickly also suggest a healthy state. Transient decelerations can occur during contractions but should resolve promptly once the contraction eases, indicating that the fetus is tolerating labor well.

In contrast, absent variability is not a reassuring characteristic. When variability is absent, it may suggest potential issues such as fetal distress or hypoxia, signaling that the fetus may not be coping well with the intrauterine environment. This lack of variability raises concerns about fetal well-being, making it the correct choice as it does not align with the reassuring patterns expected in a healthy