2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code O76Abnormality in fetal heart rate and rhythm complicating labor and delivery
ICD-10-CM Codes›O00-O9A›O60-O77›O76
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Not Chronic
O76 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for abnormality in fetal heart rate and rhythm complicating labor and delivery. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is restricted by the Medicare Code Editor to maternity cases (age 9 through 64). Coders also document this condition as labor and delivery complicated by fetal heart rate anomaly. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Complications specified during childbirth.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Code EditsBilling
Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for O76.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Labor and delivery complicated by fetal heart rate anomaly
- Labor and delivery complicated by fetal heart rate anomaly with meconium in amniotic fluid
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Inclusion Terms
- Depressed fetal heart rate tones complicating labor and delivery
- Fetal bradycardia complicating labor and delivery
- Fetal heart rate decelerations complicating labor and delivery
- Fetal heart rate irregularity complicating labor and delivery
- Fetal heart rate abnormal variability complicating labor and delivery
- Fetal tachycardia complicating labor and delivery
- Non-reassuring fetal heart rate or rhythm complicating labor and delivery
Type 1 Excludes
- fetal stress NOS O77.9
- labor and delivery complicated by electrocardiographic evidence of fetal stress O77.8
- labor and delivery complicated by ultrasonic evidence of fetal stress O77.8
Type 2 Excludes
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- Delivery (childbirth) (labor)
- complicated - O75.9
- by
- depressed fetal heart tones - O76
- fetal
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Delivery(childbirth) (labor)
- complicated
- by
- depressed fetal heart tones
- Delivery(childbirth) (labor)
- complicated
- by
- fetal
- heart rate or rhythm (abnormal) (non-reassuring)
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Childbirth Problems
Childbirth is the process of giving birth to a baby. It includes labor and delivery. Usually everything goes well, but problems can happen. They may cause a risk to the mother, baby, or both. Some of the more common childbirth problems include:
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
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Convert O76 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About O76Overview
Is O76 a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report abnormality in fetal heart rate and rhythm complicating labor and delivery on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
Who can O76 be reported for?
The Medicare Code Editor checks abnormality in fetal heart rate and rhythm complicating labor and delivery against patient demographics: this code is intended for maternity cases (age 9 through 64). Claims outside these limits are flagged as inconsistent.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of O76?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, abnormality in fetal heart rate and rhythm complicating labor and delivery converts to ICD-9-CM 659.71 (abn ftl hrt rate/rhy-del). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
Footnotes
[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.
