An important prerequisite for the correct development of the fetus is a sufficient number of oxygen and nutrients coming into the body from the mother. With insufficient delivery of oxygen, there comes a condition called oxygen starvation, or hypoxia in a child. We will try to understand the causes of oxygen starvation in the fetus, we will consider the main symptoms and prevention measures.
Oxygen fasting of the fetus during pregnancy - causes
It should initially be noted that oxygen starvation of the fetus is chronic and acute, and has different causes. The most common cause of chronic fetal hypoxia is placental insufficiency, which can be caused by:
- infection;
- severe preeclampsia ;
- Rhesus-conflict;
- anemia in the mother;
- harmful habits (alcoholism, drug addiction);
- extragenital pathology (diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
Acute oxygen starvation is caused by premature detachment of the placenta, tight cord engagement, and also a long compression of the fetal head between the pelvic bones during prolonged labor.
Oxygen fasting of the fetus - symptoms
One of the indicators of the well-being of the fetus is his periodic movements. No wonder a good gynecologist, at every visit to the consultation, asks a pregnant woman about how often she feels the stirring of her baby. In the norm they should be at least 10 per day. When a future child begins to feel a lack of oxygen, he becomes more active, and the woman will note that the movements become more frequent. Over time, the fetal body includes compensatory mechanisms, that is, its body adapts to live with a permanent deficit of oxygen.
The second method of diagnosis is to listen to the heartbeat of the fetus using a midwifery stethoscope or cardiotocography . Normally, the heart rate is in the range of 110-160 beats per minute, and for chronic hypoxia
Another confirmation of chronic fetal hypoxia is the retardation of intrauterine fetal development during ultrasound examination.
Based on the causes of hypoxia, we can say how to avoid oxygen starvation of the fetus. The main measures to prevent oxygen starvation of the fetus are: the rejection of bad habits, avoid contact with infections, daily walks in the fresh air, as well as proper nutrition, rich in protein and iron to prevent the development of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women.