Table 1.

Categorisation of the deceleration of FHR.

Type of declaration	Stage of labour	Nadir of declaration	Physiology	Clinical opinion
Early	1st or 2nd	Peak of uterine contraction	Head compression	Benign
Late	Any	$>30$ s after the peak of the contraction	Foetal hypoxia	Pathological
Variable	Any	Variable	Cord compression	Suspicious/Pathological