A nurse is caring for a client who is in active labor and notes the FHR baseline has been 100/min for the past 15 min. The nurse should identify which of the following conditions as a possible cause of fetal bradycardia?

Rationale: A. Fetal bradycardia (baseline FHR < 110/min for &ge; 10 minutes) can occur due to decreased oxygen-carrying capacity. Fetal anemia reduces oxygen delivery to fetal tissues, leading to hypoxia and myocardial depression, which can present as a sustained low baseline heart rate such as 100/min. This is a concerning cause of bradycardia that requires prompt evaluation. B. Maternal fever is more commonly associated with fetal tachycardia, not bradycardia. Increased maternal temperature raises fetal metabolic rate and heart rate, leading to an elevated baseline FHR. C. Maternal hypoglycemia does not typically cause fetal bradycardia. More commonly, significant metabolic disturbances or severe maternal compromise would affect fetal status, but hypoglycemia is not a primary cause of sustained fetal bradycardia. D. Chorioamnionitis (intra-amniotic infection) is associated with fetal tachycardia, often one of its earliest and most common signs due to fetal inflammatory response and maternal fever. It does not typically cause bradycardia.