Oxygen is of great importance for the normal intrauterine development of the child. But, according to statistics, in about 10% of cases during pregnancy, the so-called "oxygen starvation" is diagnosed. Why does fetal hypoxia occur, what is it, and how dangerous is this condition? These questions are of interest to every expectant mother.
Fetal hypoxia : what is it and how dangerous?
Hypoxia is a condition in which oxygen starvation of tissues is observed. During fetal development, the baby receives all the necessary substances, including oxygen, through the mother’s blood. Therefore, most often hypoxia occurs as a result of a violation of pregnancy or abnormalities in the work of the mother's body.
Of course, the lack of oxygen has a detrimental effect on the development of the fetus. The consequences of such a violation depend on the degree of deficiency of this gas, as well as on the duration of pregnancy. For example, in the early stages, such a pathology can lead to a slowdown in the normal growth of the embryo or to the appearance of certain anomalies.
Hypoxia, which appeared later in pregnancy, is fraught with damage to the central nervous system, as well as developmental delay. Fortunately, the detected violation can be corrected in time.
Fetal hypoxia: what is it and what are the causes of the condition?
In fact, oxygen starvation can be the result of various disorders in the work of the mother's body. Quite often, anemia, which many pregnant women experience, leads to this result. After all, it is hemoglobin that is responsible for the transport of gases to tissues.
In addition, the causes include diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, kidney problems and diabetes.
On the other hand, hypoxia often occurs against the background of a violation of the normal pregnancy process. Risk factors include the threat of miscarriage, pathology of the umbilical cord and placenta, various complications during childbirth, including squeezing the baby's head while passing through the birth canal, as well as wrapping the umbilical cord around the neck.
Signs of fetal hypoxia
In fact, the presence of oxygen deficiency can be determined using modern methods of examination of the fetus. Scheduled auscultation, which is carried out 1-2 times a month during a visit to the obstetrician-gynecologist, is an important part of the diagnosis. In the early stages of pregnancy, oxygen deficiency is manifested by heart palpitations. At later stages of development, on the contrary, the number of heart contractions decreases.
Many women are interested in the question of how to determine fetal hypoxia on their own at home. It is worth paying attention to the movements of the child. In the early stages of pregnancy, the baby becomes too active, as this helps him get an additional portion of oxygen. But in recent months, children suffering from hypoxia, on the contrary, lose physical activity - their movements are sluggish, and mothers feel them only occasionally.
If in doubt, you should definitely tell the gynecologist who is conducting the pregnancy about this. Only a specialist knows how fetal hypoxia is manifested, what it is and how to eliminate oxygen deficiency. Fortunately, in most cases, a timely detected problem can be corrected.