Hypoxia of the fetus: what is it and what are its causes?

Oxygen is of great importance for normal intrauterine development of the child. But, according to statistical data, about 10% of cases during pregnancy is diagnosed so-called "oxygen starvation." Why does fetal hypoxia occur, what is this and how dangerous is this condition? These questions are of interest to every future mother.

Fetal hypoxia : what is it and how dangerous is it?

Hypoxia is a condition in which oxygen starvation of tissues is observed. During the 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.

Certainly, the lack of oxygen has a disastrous 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 of such a pathology may lead to a slowing of normal embryo growth or to the appearance of certain anomalies.

Hypoxia, which appeared at later stages of pregnancy, is fraught with the defeat of the central nervous system, as well as a delay in development. Fortunately, the detected violation in time is amenable to correction.

Fetal hypoxia : what is it and what are the causes of the condition?

In fact, oxygen starvation can be the result of various abnormalities in the work of the mother's body. Quite often, this result is caused by anemia, which many pregnant women face. After all, hemoglobin is responsible for the transport of gases to the tissues.

In addition, the causes include diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, kidney problems and diabetes mellitus.

On the other hand, hypoxia often occurs and against the background of a violation of the normal process of pregnancy. Risk factors include a threat of miscarriage, pathology of the umbilical cord and the placenta, various complications during labor, including squeezing the baby's head while passing through the birth canal, and winding the 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. Planned auscultation, which is carried out 1-2 times a month during a visit to an obstetrician-gynecologist, is an important part of the diagnosis. In the early stages of pregnancy, oxygen deficiency is manifested by rapid heart rate. At later stages of development, on the contrary, the number of cardiac contractions decreases.

Many women are interested in the question of how to determine the fetal hypoxia on their own at home. Here it is worth paying attention to the movements of the child. At early stages of pregnancy, the baby becomes too active, as this helps him to get an extra 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 you have any doubts, it's worth to tell the doctor-gynecologist, who leads the pregnancy, about it. Only a specialist knows how hypoxia of the fetus manifests, what it is and how to eliminate the oxygen deficiency. Fortunately, in most cases the problem found in time is amenable to correction.