What is a potential cause of fetal bradycardia when the fetal heart rate baseline is observed at 100 beats per minute for 15 minutes?

Fetal bradycardia, defined as a fetal heart rate baseline of less than 110 beats per minute for at least 10 minutes, can occur due to various maternal or fetal conditions. When considering maternal hypoglycemia as a potential cause, it is important to understand how this condition affects the fetus.

Maternal hypoglycemia results in decreased levels of glucose available to both the mother and the fetus. Glucose is a crucial energy source for fetal development and metabolism. When the fetal supply is compromised due to maternal hypoglycemia, the fetus may experience stress, leading to alterations in heart rate. The stress response can cause a decrease in the fetal heart rate (bradycardia), indicating that the fetus is not receiving adequate oxygenation or energy.

Other options may contribute to fetal heart rate changes, but they do not correlate directly with the physiological impacts observed in the context of maternal hypoglycemia. For instance, excessive fetal movement typically correlates with an increase in heart rate rather than a decrease, while maternal dehydration primarily affects fluid levels and can lead to complications but is less directly linked to immediate changes in fetal heart rate compared to hypoglycemia. Prolonged labor can lead to other complications but again does not directly create a scenario akin