The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze differences in antepartal fetal heart rate (FHR) parameters, non-linear indices, and perinatal outcomes between fetuses of normal and fetal distress at delivery. We surveyed all non-stress test (NST) data acquired using a computerized FHR analysis system at Hanyang University Hospital between 2003 and 2010, and selected 725 cases (fetal distress without any other complications=25 cases and normal 700 cases). NSTs were performed between 38 and 42 weeks of gestation, and all cases were delivered in 2 weeks after NST. Perinatal outcomes were compared, and FHR parameters analyzed using a linear method and a non-linear method using approximate entropy (ApEn), correlation dimension (CD), and short-term/ long-term scaling exponents (α1/ α2). One and 5 minutes Apgar scores (Ap1/Ap5) of fetal distress group were significantly lower than those of normal group (Ap1, 5.92±1.85 vs 6.89±0.73, p=0.0151; Ap5, 6.44±1.45 vs 8.87±0.58, p<0.0001). Other perinatal outcomes and NST parameters showed no significant difference between two groups. Non-linear indices (ApEn, CD, and α2) were significantly different in two groups (ApEn, 0.71 ± 0.18 vs 0.91 ± 0.13, p<0.0001; CD 3.49 ± 0.40 vs 3.83 ± 0.27, p=0.0003; α2, 0.91 ± 0.06 vs 0.86 ± 0.05, p=0.0016, respectively). Compared to normal fetuses, fetal distress cases at delivery show a difference in that the irregularity and complexity of the heart rate dynamics are decreased in antepartal NST, although no differences of FHR parameters between two groups. A more apparent difference is that the long-term fractal correlation of the fetal heart is increased and the fetal heart is smoother in the long-term scale.