Intrauterine hypoxia is one of the most common problems that future mothers face.
What is fetal
hypoxia ? This diagnosis suggests that the baby in the mother’s womb does not receive the amount of oxygen he needs. It can occur both during the normal course of pregnancy, and at the very beginning of labor (acute form).
If a lack of oxygen occurred in the early stages, the formation of the most important organs of the child may be disrupted, which can subsequently cause the development of complex anomalies and injuries. Closer to childbirth, the central nervous system of the baby and its physical development are at risk, there is a possibility of stunted growth. Those babies who experience hypoxia before the birth should be constantly monitored by a neurologist: they may develop disorders of the autonomic nervous system, sometimes muscle hypertonicity occurs, the baby becomes restless and capricious, malnourished and sleeps poorly.
What is fetal hypoxia, we already know. But there is also an acute shortage of oxygen, which usually occurs suddenly. To make up for the deficiency of the gas vital for the child, his body begins to use the so-called compensatory mechanisms, his body works literally for wear and tear. As a result, the expectant mother feels extremely active stirring of the baby. At the same time, the weak organism of the embryo cannot work for a long time in this mode, and therefore, without oxygen, it soon subsides, as it can no longer move. If you do not consult a doctor in a timely manner, who will conduct all the necessary studies, fix hypoxia and eliminate it, the consequences can be extremely deplorable for mother and baby.
However, it is not enough to know what is fetal hypoxia. No less important are the reasons leading to the development of this violation. The first and most commonplace is the lack of iron in the mother’s blood, which is responsible for the production of hemoglobin. It is hemoglobin that supplies oxygen to all organs and tissues of the body. Anemia - a low hemoglobin level due to iron deficiency - is one of the most common causes of hypoxia.
Quite frequent are cases of placental metabolic disturbance (metabolism of beneficial substances between the mother and the fetus). In addition to the lack of nutrients, the crumb may also receive less oxygen due to it.
A strong effect can have smoking during pregnancy. Vasoconstrictor nicotine disrupts blood circulation. Since the organisms of the mother and child are inextricably linked, this affects not only the woman, but also the baby.
A variety of maternal diseases (including chronic ones) can also cause hypoxia. These are diseases of the heart, blood vessels, respiratory tract, frequent stresses, polyhydramnios, disorders that occur with pelvic presentation, pathology of the umbilical cord and placenta, intrauterine infections. Also, various malformations of the embryo itself may be the cause.
What to do with fetal hypoxia? As a rule, expectant mothers with this diagnosis are hospitalized in a hospital. They are under the supervision of specialists, undergo an appropriate course of therapy. An important point is maintaining complete peace. If the period is 28 weeks or more, and positive dynamics are not observed, a cesarean section is performed.
There is fetal hypoxia of the 1st degree (the baby lags behind in development up to 2 weeks), 2nd (lag by 2-4 weeks) and 3rd (more than 4 weeks). Depending on the degree, the measures taken by specialists may also vary.
Speaking about what is fetal hypoxia, it is worth saying that its best prevention is a healthy lifestyle, refusal of alcohol and smoking, a balanced diet, walks in the fresh air. And, of course, you need to regularly visit a doctor - only he will be able to identify violations in time and minimize their consequences.