All the thoughts of a pregnant woman are only about one thing - about the future baby. She is already taking care of his comfort and dreams that the baby will be born strong and he althy. In order for the baby to develop correctly, and the birth to take place safely and without complications, all processes in the body of the baby and in the body of the future mother must proceed as expected, without failures. However, violations still happen. One of the reasons may be hypoxia. What it is? A natural question that worries expectant mothers. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of "hypoxia" is far from uncommon. That is why expectant mothers should be aware of such a deviation.
Hypoxia - what is it and what are the causes of the violation?
Fetal hypoxia is a set of changes in the body of the fetus due to lack of oxygen. Such a violation is not independent, but occurs as a result of various pathological processes that can develop in the body of a future mother, fetus or placenta. During scheduled visits, a gynecologist should tell expectant mothers about such a deviation as hypoxia, what it is, what are the causes and consequences of oxygen starvation.
Factors that can provoke hypoxia,quite numerous. Basically, these are violations in the mother's body:
- Anemia is a disease in which red blood cells in the blood do not deliver enough oxygen to the tissues of the body.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- Respiratory system disorders (bronchitis, asthma and others).
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Disorders of the kidneys.
Also, brain hypoxia in newborns may develop due to deviations from the fetal-placental blood flow:
- Threatened preterm birth.
- Postterm pregnancy.
- Abnormal course of labor.
- Pathologies of the umbilical cord and placenta.
Fetal diseases that can lead to hypoxia are as follows:
- Intrauterine infection.
- Defects.
- Squeezing the head during childbirth.
- Incompatibility of the blood type of the fetus and mother.
Fetal hypoxia: consequences
Oxygen starvation can cause a malfunction of the whole organism. At different stages of pregnancy, hypoxia has different consequences for the unborn baby. If such a condition is diagnosed in the early stages of pregnancy, then this can provoke abnormal development of the fetus. In the later stages, oxygen deficiency leads to damage to the nervous system of the fetus, growth retardation, and a decrease in the adaptive abilities of the newborn. If the supply of oxygen is insufficient, there is a change in metabolic processes. Allsystems and organs begin to work in a more active mode. First of all, the fetus tries to provide the vital organs (heart, brain, kidneys) with the necessary oxygen, this leads to intestinal hypoxia and, as a result, meconium (original feces) is released. But with prolonged oxygen starvation, the baby's body weakens and is unable to withstand the adverse effects. First of all, the nervous system is affected, since it is the nervous tissue that becomes the main object of the pathological effects of oxygen deficiency.
Slight hypoxia, as a rule, does not affect the he alth of the unborn baby. In severe hypoxia, ischemia and necrosis may appear in various tissues, which provokes irreversible consequences.
Treatment of hypoxia
When oxygen deficiency is detected, treatment must begin immediately. The expectant mother is sent to a diagnostic center to identify the causes of hypoxia and to examine the fetus. Normalization of metabolic processes and blood circulation is carried out on an outpatient basis. In chronic hypoxia, to improve the blood supply to the uterus, a pregnant woman is recommended to observe a calm bed rest. The use of medications is aimed at relaxing the muscles of the uterus and expanding the vessels of the placenta.
If complex therapy does not give positive results and the condition of the fetus worsens, at a gestational age of more than 28 weeks, a decision is made on emergency delivery through a caesarean section.
Pretty todayHypoxia is a common complication during pregnancy. What is it, what are the causes and consequences of this phenomenon, every expectant mother should know.
