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Mild vaginal spotting is frequently associated with early placental separation or other cervical changes. While it requires monitoring, it does not always indicate life-threatening hemorrhage or immediate hemodynamic instability. This finding is less urgent than signs of active shock in the mother.

A fetal heart rate of 140 beats/min with moderate variability is a reassuring finding indicating adequate fetal oxygenation. Moderate variability reflects a healthy fetal nervous system responding to the environment. This does not require immediate intervention as it represents a Category 1 fetal heart rate tracing.

Intermittent uterine contractions are often observed in various stages of pregnancy and can occur with minor placental irritation. In abruptio placentae, the classic finding is uterine hypertonicity or high-frequency, low-amplitude contractions. Intermittent contractions alone do not signal acute distress requiring emergency surgical or medical intervention.

Placenta previa typically presents as painless bleeding in the third trimester of pregnancy. The placenta is implanted over or near the internal os, and it does not typically cause uterine rigidity or severe pain. Physical examination would reveal a soft, non-tender uterus rather than the firm, board-like abdomen seen here.

Preterm labor involves regular uterine contractions that result in cervical change before 37 weeks gestation. While contractions can be painful, they are usually intermittent rather than constant and severe. The uterus relaxes between contractions in preterm labor, unlike the sustained hypertonicity observed in a significant abruption.

Uterine atony is the failure of the uterus to contract effectively after delivery, leading to postpartum hemorrhage. It is characterized by a soft, boggy uterus upon palpation rather than a rigid one. Because the client in the scenario is still at 36 weeks gestation, atony is not a relevant diagnostic consideration.

Placental implantation over the cervical os describes placenta previa, which is a distinct clinical entity from abruptio placentae. While both cause third-trimester bleeding, previa is characterized by painless hemorrhage due to the placenta's low-lying position. This anatomical malposition does not involve the premature detachment of a normally situated placenta.

Rupture of fetal blood vessels is the pathophysiology of vasa previa, where unprotected fetal vessels cross the internal os. In abruptio placentae, the bleeding is primarily maternal in origin from the decidua basalis vessels. Fetal vessel rupture causes rapid fetal exsanguination, which is a different mechanism than placental separation.

Degeneration of uterine fibroids, or leiomyomas, can cause localized pain and discomfort during pregnancy but is not a cause of placental hemorrhage. Fibroids are benign tumors of the myometrium that do not typically interfere with the structural integrity of the placental-uterine attachment. This condition does not result in the board-like rigidity seen in abruption.