Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation (From NCC C-EFM–Referenced Sources)
The NCC C-EFM exam outline, along with AWHONN and Miller’s Pocket Guide, define baseline fetal heart rate as the mean FHR rounded to increments of 5 bpm, measured over a 10-minute window, excluding:
• accelerations
• decelerations
• periods of marked variability
• any segments differing by >25 bpm
This aligns with ACOG, AWHONN, and Simpson’s interpretation standards.
Option A is incorrect: the baseline is not documented as a 15-bpm range; it is documented as a single value (e.g., 140 bpm).
Option C is incorrect: the correct NCC/ACOG standardized normal baseline is 110–160 bpm, not 170.
Exact Extract Concepts Referenced:
– “Baseline is determined over a 10-minute period excluding periodic or episodic changes.” (AWHONN FHR Principles)
– “Baseline is the mean FHR rounded to 5-bpm increments.” (Miller’s Pocket Guide)
– “Normal baseline is 110–160 bpm.” (Simpson & Menihan; Creasy & Resnik)
