Fetal hypoxia.This concept is constantly on everyone's lips - we hear it very, very often. Some expectant mothers are very scared when they hear about fetal hypoxia, while others simply do not pay any attention to it. But do they all know what hypoxia in a baby really is? And what are the risks it poses for the baby's health? Let's try to figure this out together. So, today's agenda includes the following questions: what is hypoxia, how is it dangerous for a baby, and how to prevent its development. Let's start from the very beginning.
What is hypoxia and why does it occur?
Doctors call this hypoxiaa condition of the baby's body in which its tissues and organs are not supplied with oxygen sufficiently. Please note that this pathological condition of the baby is never an independent disease, but only a phenomenon accompanying some other pathology. Moreover, such pathologies can be very diverse - both on the part of the expectant mother and on the part of the future baby. Although in most cases, the cause of fetal hypoxia is maternal diseases. There are quite a lot of them, but doctors still distinguish several main groups:
- Different types of anemia
There are several types of anemia,among which iron deficiency anemia is the most widespread. If the expectant mother suffers from this disease, the normal function of red blood cells is disrupted and, as a result, oxygen does not reach various tissues and organs in the required volume. And since the mother's body is also entirely responsible for providing the baby's body with oxygen, the baby's cells and organs also do not receive the oxygen they need for normal development and functioning. It turns out to be a kind of closed chain - the mother is sick, which means the baby is sick too.
- Various diseases of the cardiovascular system
In the event that the expectant mother suffers fromacquired or congenital heart or vascular defects, then there is a very high probability that due to the increased load during pregnancy, circulatory failure will occur. What will happen next is easy to guess. If the blood circulation is insufficient, the baby will receive less oxygen than it needs. And the more pronounced this failure is, the more the baby will suffer from hypoxia. If a pregnant woman suffers from such cardiovascular diseases as bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, etc., pregnancy can also provoke their exacerbation. And the exacerbation, in turn, will have a very negative effect on the course of pregnancy. In most such cases, the expectant mother develops such an unpleasant phenomenon as respiratory failure. And this condition not only brings discomfort to the woman, but also has a very negative effect on the condition of the baby. Due to respiratory failure, so-called hypoxia of tissues and organs develops very quickly. But remember, we already talked about the fact that the mother's and baby's organisms are directly connected to each other? This means that the baby's organism suffers from hypoxia no less than the mother's.
- Kidney disease and diabetes mellitus
There is no less risk of the baby developing hypoxiaподвергаются и те будущие мамы, которые страдают от сахарного диабета и различных заболеваний почек. Причем заранее спрогнозировать это практически невозможно, поэтому врачи – гинекологи наблюдают за подобными беременными женщинами особенно пристально. Порой причиной развития у будущего малыша гипоксии становятся различные нарушения плацентарного кровотока. Причин для развития подобного нарушения также достаточно много:
- Pregnancy Pregnancy
In the event that the baby is not born inthe due date, the placenta stops performing its functions in full. And, in addition, the same thing happens with premature aging of the placenta, which can begin long before the expected date of the baby's birth.
- The threat of premature birth
Of course, hypoxia does not develop in all cases of the threat that the baby will rush to see its mother. But in about half of such cases, hypoxia still makes itself known.
- Umbilical cord and placenta
Pathological development and structure, as the mostplacenta, as well as the umbilical cord, also often leads to the development of hypoxia. And the more complex and severe these disorders are, the more pronounced the baby's hypoxia is. As a rule, such disorders are detected during an ultrasound examination.
- Other abnormalities of pregnancy and childbirth
There are still some pathologies of the course, such aspregnancy and childbirth, which can lead to the development of hypoxia in the baby. However, it is almost impossible to foresee all of them even for an experienced doctor - gynecologist. And, finally, it remains to figure out what pathologies in the health of the future baby can lead to the development of hypoxia in him. Such provoking factors include:
- Hemolytic disease of the fetus
Doctors use this term to describe the condition that develops in a fetus if its blood type and its mother's blood type are incompatible. Hypoxia in such cases develops in approximately 70%.
- Intrauterine infection, malformations of the baby
There are a huge number of the mostvarious infections that can infect the baby and subsequently cause fetal hypoxia. If the baby has certain developmental defects, the risk of fetal hypoxia also increases several times.
What is fraught with hypoxia of the fetus?
Well, now we've figured out what exactly it can beprovoke the development of hypoxia in the baby. It's time to find out what hypoxia of the fetus is fraught with for the baby. Is the devil as terrible as he is painted? Perhaps there is absolutely nothing to worry about, let alone sound the alarm? But, alas, doctors say the opposite - lack of oxygen is very detrimental to any living organism. And even more so for a new emerging life - for your baby. Due to hypoxia, all vital systems of the baby without exception suffer, metabolic processes are disrupted. The degree and severity of these disorders directly depend on two factors: the degree of hypoxia and the duration of pregnancy. At different stages of pregnancy, the baby's body reacts to hypoxia differently. If hypoxia begins to develop in the early stages of pregnancy, it will inevitably entail abnormalities in the development of the internal organs and systems of the fetus, to a lag in the development of the embryo. In the later stages of pregnancy, hypoxia is fraught with a significant delay in the growth of the fetus, as well as significant damage to its central nervous system. Sometimes the consequences of such hypoxia make themselves felt throughout a person's life. And the adaptive capabilities of a newborn child, who suffered from a lack of oxygen in the womb, are also much worse. And as a result, the baby, having been born, adapts much worse to the environment, which is still new to him. As mentioned above, a lot depends on the degree of hypoxia itself. If it is insignificant, the child's body manages to cope with it without any special consequences for itself. But if the hypoxia is severe, the prospects, unfortunately, are not so bright. The child very quickly develops ischemia - areas of tissue experiencing a severe deficiency of blood flow. If hypoxia at this stage is not eliminated, real necrosis - tissue death - will break out. You understand that such disorders cannot pass without a trace. Everything depends on which organs and systems have developed such areas of necrosis. Pathologies can be very different - from minor functional disorders, which are eliminated quite easily, to severe mental disorders.
Diagnosis of fetal hypoxia
If the expectant mother treats it with due attentionto her condition, she can notice the first alarming symptoms herself. It is enough to simply watch how your baby moves. As a rule, at the very beginning of hypoxia development, the baby behaves very restlessly - his movements increase and become more frequent. If the mother does not sound the alarm in time, hypoxia will continue to progress, and the baby's movements will become much more sluggish and rare. Many expectant mothers are afraid to contact the doctor, believing that they will only disturb him in vain or out of fear of being ridiculed. However, you should not be afraid of this - in almost all cases, the doctor will only praise you for such attentiveness and conduct all the necessary examinations. Well, and in the worst case? It is better to be known as an overly impressionable "pregnant woman" than to miss a really serious danger that threatens the health, and sometimes the life of your baby. After all, fetal hypoxia has very vague symptoms. The first thing your gynecologist should do is to prescribe Doppler ultrasound and cardiotocography. Cardiotocography (CTG) remains the best method to assess the condition of the fetus during pregnancy. A special device evaluates the frequency and strength of the baby's heartbeat, as well as its motor activity. Such a study is usually prescribed at 28 weeks of pregnancy. And during labor, this is also one of the most effective ways to monitor the condition and well-being of the baby. Another equally favorite and very effective method of examination is Doppler ultrasound. During this study, doctors have the opportunity to evaluate the correctness and speed of blood flow in the vessels of both the placenta and the umbilical cord. This method allows you to exclude possible pathology of the structure of these vessels as a cause of hypoxia.
Treatment of hypoxia
In the event that the doctor has groundsIf you believe that there is serious fetal hypoxia, the expectant mother is hospitalized as soon as possible. And you should never refuse hospitalization - in a hospital setting, doctors will not only diagnose the cause of hypoxia in the baby much faster, but will also immediately provide all the necessary assistance. But the faster the cause of hypoxia is eliminated, the less likely it is that any complications will develop. In addition, it is extremely important for a pregnant woman who has been diagnosed with intrauterine fetal hypoxia to remain completely calm. But you are unlikely to be able to do this at home, right? Cleaning, cooking, and if there is an older child in the family? A woman can only dream of peace. In the hospital, the woman will be provided with not only complete rest, but will also take all measures aimed at improving the supply of oxygen to the baby, as well as normalizing its metabolic processes. Such therapy should always be strictly comprehensive, including medication. If, despite all the efforts of doctors, it was not possible to normalize the baby's condition, and the pregnancy period is more than 28 weeks, a decision may be made to perform an emergency cesarean section. Of course, upon hearing about such a decision of the doctor, the expectant mother is very scared. However, remember that doctors resort to cesarean section in such a situation in exceptional cases, when it is impossible to help the baby otherwise. And the risk for the child without surgery is much higher than after his birth. After all, you already know what consequences fetal hypoxia can entail. We advise you to read:
