Intrauterine (antenatal) fetal death is fetal death during pregnancy. Antenatal fetal death can occur for several reasons.
Causes of intrauterine fetal death:
- diseases of the pregnant woman with various infections - influenza, pneumonia, pyelonephritis, etc .;
- various extragenital diseases - heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, anemia and others;
- inflammatory diseases of the genital organs;
- severe late toxicosis of the pregnant;
- pathology of the placenta - presentation, detachment, malformations;
- pathology of the umbilical cord is a true knot;
- incompatibility of a mother and a child by a Rh factor;
- polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios.
In utero, fetal death, in addition, can also contribute to some "social" factors. For example, chronic intoxication of pregnant lead, mercury, nicotine, alcohol, drugs, arsenic, etc. Incorrect use and overdose of medicines is also a frequent cause of fetal death.
Intrauterine death can occur with adverse socioeconomic conditions, traumatizing the pregnant (with a fall or strong blow to the stomach). Often the direct cause of fetal death is intrauterine infection (eg, intrauterine meningitis), chronic or acute fetal hypoxia, as well as incompatible with the life of the fetus, the presence of an intrauterine twin-parasite. In some cases, the cause of fetal death remains unclear.
There is also the concept of intrapartum death of the fetus, that is, his death in the intranatal period (during labor) due to birth trauma to the skull or the spine of the fetus.
Signs of intrauterine fetal death
Clinical symptoms of intrauterine fetal death are:
- cessation of uterine growth;
- a decrease in the tone of the uterus, the absence of its contractions;
- feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, malaise, weakness;
- the disappearance of engorgement of the mammary glands;
- cessation of heartbeat and fetal movements.
When these signs appear, urgent hospitalization of the pregnant woman is necessary. Reliably verify the death of the fetus will help research such as ECG and FCG, ultrasound. The diagnosis is confirmed if during the studies there are no signs of palpitations, respiratory movements of the fetus, in the early stages, a breach of the contours of the body and the destruction of its structures are revealed.
Later, the detection of antenatal fetal death threatens the development of intrauterine sepsis in a woman. Therefore, it is extremely important to take all necessary measures in time. If the child died in the abdomen in the early stages of pregnancy, the fetal egg is removed surgically (called scraping).
If the child died in the second trimester of pregnancy with premature placental abruption, urgent delivery is performed by administering estrogens, glucose, vitamins and calcium for three days to create the necessary background. Next, oxytocin and prostaglandins are prescribed. Sometimes in addition to all apply electro-stimulation of the uterus.
Death of the fetus in the third trimester, as a rule, leads to the independent onset of labor.
Prevention of antenatal fetal death
Includes compliance with hygiene rules, early diagnosis, correct and timely treatment of various complications of pregnancy, gynecological and extragenital diseases.
Before planning pregnancy after antenatal fetal death, it is necessary to conduct a medical genetic examination of a married couple, and the pregnancy itself should be planned no earlier than half a year after the fetal death.