Health Information
Contraction Stress Test
Results
A contraction stress test checks to see if your unborn baby (Reference fetus Opens New Window) will stay healthy during the reduced oxygen levels that normally occur during contractions when you are in labor.
Results of the test tell your baby's health for 1 week. The test may need to be done more than once during your pregnancy.
| Normal: |
Normal test results are called negative. Your baby's heart rate does not get slower (decelerate) and stay slow after the contraction (late decelerations). Note: There may be a few times during the test when your baby's heart rate decelerates, but it doesn't stay slow so it is not a problem. If three contractions occur during a 10-minute period of nipple stimulation or oxytocin infusion and there are no late decelerations in your baby's heart rate, your baby is expected to be able to handle the stress of labor. |
|---|---|
| Abnormal: |
Abnormal test results are called positive. Your baby's heart rate gets slower (decelerates) and stays slow after the contraction (late decelerations). This happens on more than half of the contractions. Late decelerations may mean that your baby will have problems during normal labor. |
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference June 18, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine
Reference William Gilbert, MD - Maternal and Fetal Medicine |
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