During pregnancy and childbirth, it is important to have adequate monitoring and follow-up, so that medical personnel verify that everything is in order, and so that they can identify the presence of any complications.
One of the most serious complications that can occur during childbirth, and that can even appear from pregnancy although with less seriousness, is the fetal suffering. We tell you what it is, what its symptoms are and what causes it.
What is fetal suffering
Fetal suffering, also called loss of fetal well-being or fetal distress, is a dangerous complication of childbirth in which the baby does not receive the necessary oxygen, and that could cause irreparable damage to brain tissue, so it is important that doctors act quickly, taking the necessary measures to protect the baby's health.
In Babies and more Complications in childbirth (Part I)The symptom that could indicate that the baby is presenting fetal suffering are:
- Worrying changes in the baby's heart rate, as an increase or decrease, especially during and after a contraction.
- Presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid.
- Decreased baby movements felt by the mother.
- Fetal acidosis
Depending on the severity of each case and what the doctors analyze, It will decide what to do to protect the health and life of the baby. In some it will be enough for the mother to change her position or have oxygen placed on her so that vaginal delivery can continue, but in severe cases or if the situation does not improve, an emergency caesarean section should be performed.
Types of fetal distress
Although it is more common to hear or know about this complication during childbirth, as we have mentioned, it is also possible that this occurs from pregnancy. Therefore, we would be talking about Two types of fetal suffering: acute and chronic.
He acute fetal distress It is considered a medical emergency, as it occurs suddenly and during childbirth, when the lack of oxygenation of the baby occurs abruptly. In these cases, the birth of the baby should happen as soon as possible, either by emergency caesarean section or vaginally, under constant medical supervision.
On the other hand, the chronic fetal distress It occurs gradually during pregnancy. This is not considered an emergency or emergency, because when it occurs progressively, the baby adapts to the conditions in which it is. In these cases, we will try to correct the situation that is causing it, to allow the baby to continue maturing until it reaches a healthy development and size for its birth.
Causes and risk factors
Fetal suffering it can occur for various reasons:
- Injuries or alterations in the placenta, as placental abruption.
- Some mother's circulatory problem which alters the quality or quantity of blood that it exchanges with the future baby, such as high blood pressure.
- Delayed intrauterine growth.
- Problems with the umbilical cord, such as a knot, a turn of the cord to the baby's neck, short cord or prolapse of the cord.
- Fetal problems: fetal anemia and cardiac abnormalities (such as arrhythmias).
- Maternal fever during childbirth.
- Compression of the vena cava due to the mother's birth position.
- Infections
In addition, there are some factors that could increase the possibility of presenting fetal suffering. Among them are the following:
- The mother's age: be under 20 and over 35.
- Be the first birth or have had many previous deliveries.
- That the mother suffers hypertension or diabetes.
- Having a history of fetal death, prematurity or malformations.
- The birth happens in the weeks after the probable date of delivery.
- Uterine Malformations
Prevention
Because fetal suffering usually occurs suddenly, it is not something that can really be avoided. However, if we comply with some of the causes (such as circulatory problems or problems with the umbilical cord) or risk factors (such as suffering from diabetes or having any uterine malformation), we must be more aware of the evolution of our pregnancy, to detect it in time.
In Babies and more When the baby suffers from lack of oxygen at the time of delivery: causes, consequences and solutionsAfter birth, like all babies, the Apgar test will be done, which is the first assessment of the newborn and one of the two tests that can guide us about the severity of fetal suffering. The second test is the ph of the cord, which is more objective, since it measures the acidity of the baby's umbilical cord blood.
Although thanks to technology today it is more likely that the baby did not present a serious case of fetal suffering, if so, the sequels may be immediate or manifest in the first years of life, and these will depend on the area of the brain that has been damaged.
Photos | iStock
