Unfortunately, sometimes it happens thatthe long-awaited pregnancy ends with a frozen pregnancy. And it is already impossible to do anything in this case. Usually, the fair sex faces this in the early stages, but it can also happen in the second trimester. Statistics are as follows: approximately 176 cases account for only one pregnancy with an unsuccessful outcome. The rest of the girls manage to carry and give birth to a healthy child. But there is still a risk of this pathology. Therefore, it is very important for expectant mothers to know everything about what can cause a fetal arrest, how to recognize, detect and prevent it. Thanks to the methods of modern medicine, today it is possible to prevent a frozen pregnancy if you register in time and be on the alert. To do this, it is very important to strictly follow the instructions of the attending gynecologist and monitor your own health at the first stages of planning the pregnancy itself.
What is a frozen pregnancy?
Very often, expectant mothers have no ideaabout what a frozen pregnancy is and do not know what danger it can pose. So, first of all, you should understand that this is a serious pathology, as a result of which the fetus stops developing and growing, which, naturally, leads to its death. Such an unfavorable outcome can cause the development of an inflammatory process in the body of a representative of the fair sex. A previously occurring frozen pregnancy can negatively affect the subsequent conception of a child. There are often cases when girls after this could not normally get pregnant and give birth. Therefore, in order to avoid such problems, you should promptly identify the pathology of fetal development and seek medical help. Unfortunately, a frozen pregnancy in the second trimester may not manifest itself in any way for a fairly long period of time. Then the condition worsens, bloody discharge appears, contractions may begin with a subsequent miscarriage. To prevent this from happening, you need to go to the hospital in time. Do not neglect taking tests and visiting specialists, do not self-medicate. What causes a frozen pregnancy? The correct development and growth of the fetus equally depends on both external and internal factors. In the first case, the environment has a negative effect on the health of the fair sex. If you want your child to be born healthy and develop normally, change the environment. Find a place where there is no harmful production and there is no smog in the air. The condition of the fair sex (both physical and psychological) also plays an important role. If a woman is constantly nervous, worried, and breaks down, her nervous system fails. And this, in turn, has a negative effect on the fetus. The following health problems can also lead to a frozen pregnancy:
- cardiovascular disease in a pregnant woman;
- various kidney diseases;
- chromosomal disorders in the fetus;
- disruption of the endocrine system;
- some fetal anomalies that lead to his death;
- hormonal disorders in the body of a pregnant woman;
- diabetes;
- excessive physical exertion;
- infectious diseases of acute or chronic form.
Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages,abuse of cigarettes and drugs, as well as such typical diseases as herpes, chlamydia, toxoplasmosis, etc. - all this has a negative effect on the development of the fetus. Of course, if a woman knows what this pathology leads to and desperately wants to have a child, then she will try with all her might to eliminate the factors that contribute to the emergence of such a problem in the early stages. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to even the most, as it seems at first glance, insignificant change in the body. Please note that most often, fetal freezing occurs in women who have previously had an abortion, have a history of ectopic pregnancy, have problems with the reproductive organs. Often, such problems are observed in women over 35. Especially if this is their first pregnancy. How to timely detect a frozen pregnancy Of course, every expectant mother is extremely difficult to survive such a terrible outcome of pregnancy, because in the second trimester the child is already big. A woman can even feel the baby moving. She gives it a name, buys things, decorates the nursery. And then she understands that it's all over. Not everyone decides to go to the clinic right away, because they hope that the doctors were wrong. But, as mentioned above, the development of pathology is influenced by factors that can not only lead to the death of the fetus, but also pose a real threat to the life of the expectant mother. That is why it is so important to know the main symptoms that indicate that the fetus has stopped developing. Please note that a frozen pregnancy in the second trimester manifests itself differently for everyone. Therefore, you should not draw a conclusion based on your feelings. In any case, you must first undergo an ultrasound, take tests, and visit a gynecologist. But do not delay a visit to a specialist if the following symptoms occur:
- Lack of movement (wiggling) of the fetus
If the baby should already be moving or you felt movement earlier, but now there is complete silence, you should immediately go for an examination.
- Cessation of toxicosis, which until this time was very clearly manifested itself
The first three months you felt very bad and younauseated by smells, food, etc., and now you can easily eat herring with jam? Perhaps it is a strong stomach. But, most likely, the fetus froze. A sudden feeling of nausea, in the absence of previous toxicosis, is also a bad sign.
- Breast Problems
When a woman becomes pregnant, her breasts begin to enlarge and fill. The first sign that something is wrong is the cessation of swelling and the appearance of a cutting pain.
- Stomach
If your stomach hurts and pulls at the beginning of pregnancy,then these are the first signs of a future miscarriage. The child can be saved during this period, since such symptoms are not typical for a fetus to die in the first trimester. But if the pain occurs in the second trimester, the problem may lie precisely in this.
- Change in basal temperature
This is not the main sign that you have a frozen pregnancy. But still, it is worth paying attention to this symptom.
- Presence of brown discharge from the vagina
You may experience scanty discharge, as if you hadthe period has started. However, it does not stop for a long time. Therefore, if you find even one drop of blood on your underwear, contact a doctor immediately. This is a signal that your body is trying to get rid of the fetus. What will happen if the pathology is not identified in time? The fetus begins to decompose in the womb, causing serious inflammatory processes. These decomposition products can directly enter the woman's blood, which will cause serious intoxication of the body. And if the cleaning is not done in the near future, the pregnant woman may die. Such an operation should be performed in a hospital, after which the representative remains in the hospital for a couple of days under the supervision of medical personnel.
How is the diagnosis of frozen pregnancy carried out?
So, to diagnose such a pathology inin the second trimester can be done in three main ways: with the help of hCG analysis, ultrasound and by means of examination by a gynecologist. Usually doctors conduct several examinations to make sure that the girl has a frozen pregnancy. The size of the uterus should correspond to normal indicators for the current stage of pregnancy, so the doctor first conducts a routine examination. The basal temperature is also measured. If there is a discrepancy or a strong deviation, the woman is sent for an ultrasound (ultrasound examination). This will help to determine whether the baby's heart is beating or not. By the way, this is the only way to detect anembryony - a disorder in which the fertilized egg turns out to be empty and does not contain an embryo. Thanks to a hormonal blood test, it is also possible to determine whether the fetus has frozen. A pregnant woman usually has very high hCG levels. If it is an order of magnitude less than necessary, then the woman has serious problems. Unfortunately, there are a couple of nuances here. So, if the fetus has recently stopped developing, the hormone level may be normal. The embryo is dead, and your body hasn't reacted to it yet.
What to do when diagnosed as "frozen pregnancy"
Unfortunately, in this case, there is no way to save the childcannot be saved. If the fetus has frozen and its condition has worsened, the fetus should be removed immediately. Otherwise, a miscarriage may occur, inflammation and bleeding may begin, which cannot be stopped at home. Once an accurate diagnosis has been made, the following treatment options for frozen pregnancy may be chosen:
- Expectant
The doctor may take a wait-and-see approach untila spontaneous miscarriage will occur. Such a natural course of this pathology occurs due to a decrease in the level of placental hormones. The woman's body will try to cleanse itself of the foreign organism.
- Medicamentous
A gynecologist may recommend specialmedications that will cause a spontaneous miscarriage. The only condition for prescribing these drugs is the pregnancy period - it should not exceed 8 weeks. Otherwise, it will not help.
- Abortion
A specialist can also prescribe treatment.frozen pregnancy by surgery. In this case, curettage of the uterus is performed. This procedure is a surgical intervention, so after it, antibacterial therapy is mandatory. After two weeks, the woman is prescribed an ultrasound examination to assess her condition. The postoperative recovery period lasts on average one month. Many women who have encountered such a problem ask themselves: how long can you walk with a frozen fetus? Gynecologists cannot answer this question exactly, since this indicator is individual for each representative of the fair sex. Someone can walk for a week, and someone for a month, without noticing this problem. But do not delay visiting a doctor, because your health and the ability to have children in the future will depend on it.
How is the treatment and recovery period after a stiff pregnancy?
First of all, treatment after such a pregnancybegins with a full examination, both of the mother and father, to prevent a similar situation in the future. To do this, both spouses should take tests to determine the level of sex hormones. The thyroid gland is also examined (a malfunction can lead to a hormonal explosion). After full treatment, the fair sex is examined again. And if the tests are normal, you can start planning a second pregnancy. Before that, she should use contraceptives. Condoms are best suited in this case. OCs can harm the woman's body, which has not yet fully recovered from such a serious operation.
How to prevent the development of a frozen pregnancy in the future
How to prevent a frozen pregnancyIn the future, a woman who has suffered from this disease should think about planning her next pregnancy already at the first stages. Specialists strongly recommend visiting a doctor and undergoing a special examination after the operation. Diagnostics and treatment are prescribed taking into account the personal characteristics of the woman's body. However, the main research methods that are indicated for absolutely all representatives of the fair sex during the recovery period after a frozen pregnancy and during planning the next conception are:
- ultrasound diagnosis of pelvic organs;
- smears needed to identify various urogenital diseases;
- a blood test for autoantibodies and homocysteine;
- a blood test for thyroid hormone levels and her ultrasound examination;
- ToRHC-complex (detection of various infections that pose a real threat to the health of a pregnant woman).
Such measures are simply necessary becausePrevention of non-developing pregnancy helps to reduce the risk of recurrence of the pathology and increase the chances of becoming a happy mother. It is important for both spouses who are planning to have a child to know what manifestations a frozen pregnancy has, how to treat it and how to prevent its development in the future. This will make it possible to promptly eliminate the consequences of this pathology and identify possible causes of its development. Only such an approach to the problem can guarantee success in the future when planning the next child.
What consequences can be with a stiffened pregnancy?
Most women who have experienced thisshock, a reasonable question arises about what to do after a non-developing pregnancy. Is it possible to have children in the future? How long should you wait before planning to conceive a future child again? What precautions should be taken to prevent the problem from recurring in the future. By the way, many cases of frozen pregnancy at an early stage of its course remain a mystery even for medical workers. To begin with, you should understand that if your fetus has frozen in the past, in the future you will still be able to bear and give birth to a healthy child. But, of course, you should first find out why this pathology arose. First, you should undergo a full examination, cure the disease or eliminate the cause. So, first, a smear is taken from pregnant women to determine whether they have an infection. Sexually transmitted diseases can cause many pathologies. And if the child is born, then in any case, it will have some deviations. Under such circumstances, a frozen pregnancy is not the worst thing that could happen. If this happens again, both partners should go for an examination. Please note that a missed pregnancy has a serious impact not only on a woman's physical health, but also on her psychological state. Therefore, it is imperative to visit a psychologist or psychoanalyst. Even if the fair sex thinks that she has dealt with the consequences herself, subconsciously she will be afraid of a repeat. By the way, after proper treatment, a woman needs a certain period of time to recover. It is worth thinking about planning the next pregnancy only after three months, and better - after six. It is very important to undergo a thorough diagnosis to identify possible pathologies and prevent the recurrence of a missed pregnancy. During this period of time, both partners should take care of their own health: do not drink alcohol, give up smoking and drugs. In some cases, the couple needs to take vitamins and get hormonal injections. It is advisable for the husband and wife to go on vacation to the sea or the mountains the day before. Every evening they should walk for at least half an hour in the fresh air. And, of course, do not forget about proper nutrition. It is necessary to exclude harmful products, fried, salted, smoked, dry-cured dishes from the diet. Fast food, instant products - all this has a negative effect on the functioning of the woman's body. As a result, the child simply has nowhere to get useful substances and microelements. What to do if you get pregnant again? There is only one answer: register with the antenatal clinic. And immediately, as soon as you understand that you are in position. And do not forget to regularly visit your gynecologist. As already mentioned above, pathology in the development of the fetus in the early stages is quite difficult to detect. This is directly related to the fact that all women have different pregnancies. Someone feels sick for all nine months, and someone does not even know what toxicosis is. We advise you to read: