A woman is admitted to labor and delivery with vaginal bleeding.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract–Based NCC C-EFM References:

The tracing shows:

Baseline approx. 120 bpm

Minimal variability (amplitude <5 bpm) across the entire strip

No accelerations

No decelerations

Contractions present but not excessive

NCC defines:

Category I requires moderate variability → not present.

Category III requires absent variability with recurrent decels, bradycardia, or sinusoidal pattern → not present.

Thus this falls into Category II: “indeterminate.”

Minimal variability for this length of time cannot be considered a normal baseline, especially in the setting of vaginal bleeding, which raises concern for:

Abruption

Maternal anemia

Hypovolemia

Decreased uteroplacental perfusion

There is no evidence of dysrhythmia (no irregular R-R intervals, no chaotic spikes, no sawtooth pattern).

Therefore, the correct interpretation is A. An indeterminate pattern (Category II).