O68 Labor and delivery complicated by abnormality of fetal acid-base balance

Billable

Block: Complications of labor and delivery (O60-O77)

Includes

  • Fetal acidemia complicating labor and delivery
  • Fetal acidosis complicating labor and delivery
  • Fetal alkalosis complicating labor and delivery
  • Fetal metabolic acidemia complicating labor and delivery

Excludes 1 (cannot be coded together)

  • 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)

Excludes 2 (not included here)

  • abnormality in fetal heart rate or rhythm (O76)
  • labor and delivery complicated by meconium in amniotic fluid (O77.0)
This category is a complete, billable diagnosis code.

No additional specificity is required — submit O68 directly on claims and documentation without a subcode extension.

Last reviewed: September 2026