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?

A. Maternal fever Maternal fever typically causes fetal tachycardia (elevated baseline >160/min), not bradycardia. Fever increases maternal metabolic rate and fetal heart rate. B. Chorioamnionitis This intrauterine infection also leads to fetal tachycardia, due to inflammatory stress and maternal fever. It is not a cause of bradycardia. C. Maternal hypoglycemia ✅ Low maternal glucose levels can reduce fetal energy supply and oxygenation, leading to fetal bradycardia (baseline <110/min). This is a recognized cause of sustained bradycardia. D. Fetal anemia Fetal anemia usually results in tachycardia as the fetus compensates for reduced oxygen‑carrying capacity by increasing heart rate. It does not cause bradycardia.