Does sustained severe hypoxia occur when fetal heart rate is less than 60 for several minutes?

Sustained severe hypoxia is associated with a fetal heart rate less than 60 beats per minute (bpm) for several minutes. When the heart rate drops to such low levels, it indicates that the fetus is not receiving adequate oxygen, which can lead to significant and prolonged oxygen deprivation, crucial for its survival and health.

A heart rate below 60 bpm suggests a state of distress or compromised blood flow, which implies that the body's demand for oxygen is not being met. In this scenario, the fetus is in jeopardy of experiencing severe hypoxia, which can have serious consequences, including risks of brain damage and other organ dysfunction. Thus, the assertion that sustained severe hypoxia occurs under these conditions is indeed accurate.

In the context of the other options, while some may imply certain additional conditions or limitations, they do not capture the direct and unequivocal relationship between a severely decreased fetal heart rate and the risk of sustained severe hypoxia.