A nurse is caring for a client who is in labor and has an external fetal monitor. The nurse observes late decelerations on the monitor strip and interprets them as indicating which of the following?

A. Fetal head compression → Causes early decelerations, not late decelerations. B. Uteroplacental insufficiency → Late decelerations indicate that the fetus is not receiving adequate oxygen, typically due to placental dysfunction. C. Maternal bradycardia → Does not directly cause late decelerations. D. Umbilical cord compression → Leads to variable decelerations, not late decelerations.