Fetal Hypoxia During Pregnancy And In Newborns: Consequences And Treatment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Hypoxia during pregnancy: consequences and treatment

If, while in the womb, or during childbirth, the baby experienced a lack of oxygen, then this can lead to serious health problems. While in the uterus, the fetus receives oxygen from the placenta, but sometimes it may not be enough. This condition is called intrauterine hypoxia. The stronger the hypoxia, the more severe its consequences. Lack of oxygen negatively affects the growth and development of the child.

Content:

• What is brain hypoxia?
• Types of hypoxia
• Causes and consequences of hypoxia
• Chronic intrauterine hypoxia
• Acute hypoxia in a newborn

What is brain hypoxia?

Cerebral hypoxia is a common pathology in newborns. There are several varieties of it. So, the fetus may suffer from a lack of oxygen while still in the mother's body, during a certain period of pregnancy. In this case, we are talking about chronic hypoxia. An acute form of oxygen starvation is observed during childbirth. In addition to the child's brain, other systems of his body suffer: cardiovascular, hepatobiliary, respiratory. Hypoxia can lead to the disability of a child.

Types of hypoxia

Depending on the cause that provoked hypoxia, the following types are distinguished:

• Respiratory hypoxia develops against the background of bronchospasm, asphyxia or pulmonary edema.
• In case of disturbances in the work of the heart and blood vessels, hypoxia occurs, which is called circular.
• If a low level of erythrocytes and hemoglobin leads to hypoxia, then it is called hemic. It can also develop as a result of high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood.
• When oxygen assimilation by organ tissues is impaired, tissue hypoxia develops.
• If hypoxia is caused by increased physical activity, then we are talking about overload hypoxia.
• When a person suffers from a lack of oxygen against the background of its insufficient content in the air (when at altitude or in a submarine), then he develops exogenous hypoxia.
• When several causes simultaneously affect the body at once, then they speak of mixed hypoxia.

Causes and consequences of hypoxia

While in the womb, the baby may experience hypoxia due to various reasons:

• Hypoxia against the background of intoxication of the body, with severe toxicosis in a woman.
• Chronic pathologies of a pregnant woman: diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine and other systems.
• Frequent stresses experienced by a pregnant woman affect the normal flow of oxygen to the fetus.
• Fetal hypoxia can be caused by serious inaccuracies in maternal nutrition.

If the age of a pregnant woman is over 35 years old, or under 17-18 years old, then the child is at risk of developing hypoxia. Rh-conflict is another common cause of fetal oxygen deprivation.

Acquired hypoxia can develop against the background of the umbilical cord entwining the baby's neck, with difficult childbirth, multiple pregnancy, with early or late onset of labor.

How to detect fetal hypoxia? Sometimes hypoxia can be indicated by excessive motor activity of the fetus. He often begins to roll over, kick his mother from the inside, push. After an increase in physical activity, its noticeable decline is observed. The child calms down, his movements are barely perceptible.

To suspect hypoxia, a simple test can be performed. The active movements of the crumbs should be counted. If in an hour the child has made less than 3 active shocks, then you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

If indicated, the doctor will send the woman to undergo the following tests:

• Cardiography.
• EEG of the fetus.
• BFP.
• Delivery of blood tests.

Dangers and consequences of hypoxia for the fetus. With intrauterine hypoxia, the brain suffers from a lack of oxygen, which can cause the development of encephalopathy, as a result of which the child may die. Also, the consequences of the postponed oxygen starvation can manifest themselves in the future, when the child is already born.

Severe hypoxia does not pass without a trace, it provokes disturbances in the work of the brain. This causes the appearance of serious disorders in the functioning of the nervous system. The risk of developing cerebral palsy is high.

Chronic intrauterine hypoxia

Most often, it is precisely the chronic intrauterine hypoxia of the fetus that is observed, when the child, being in the mother's abdomen, experiences a lack of oxygen. This may be due to the fault of the woman herself, who leads the wrong way of life and disregards her own health.

If the doctor pays attention to this in a timely manner, then he will be able to select medications aimed at improving blood circulation in the placenta. Thus, chronic hypoxia will be eliminated.

How does chronic intrauterine hypoxia manifest? It is possible to establish the fact of intrauterine hypoxia at the initial stages of pregnancy. The sooner this is done, the less health problems the child will have in the future.

The most dangerous for an infant in terms of the development of hypoxia is the first trimester of pregnancy. It is during this period that the laying of most of the vital organs occurs. If the developing organism of the fetus is experiencing oxygen starvation, then it will slowly gain weight and lag behind in development. The baby's heart will beat faster to compensate for the lack of oxygen. It is this symptom that should be paid attention to when diagnosing intrauterine chronic hypoxia.

If hypoxia is severe, then the child's body will begin to limit the blood supply to some organs. This primarily concerns the intestines. The baby's anal ring relaxes, meconium (original feces) gets into the amniotic fluid. Therefore, the color of the amniotic fluid is so important. Normally, they should be transparent.

How to detect chronic intrauterine hypoxia? It will be possible to eliminate hypoxia only if its cause is precisely determined.

To do this, a pregnant woman will need to undergo a number of studies, including:

• Ultrasound.
• KGT.
• Listening to the fetal heartbeat with a stethoscope.
• Perturbation test.

During an ultrasound scan, the doctor will assess the condition of the fetus, the quality and quantity of amniotic fluid, and visualize its internal organs. Ultrasound is very informative in terms of determining intrauterine hypoxia.

KGT makes it possible to detect violations of the fetal heart rhythm. This also allows you to listen to the heartbeat using a stethoscope. If the child's body suffers from oxygen starvation, then the heart rate per minute exceeds 160 beats.

Treatment. If the baby suffers from oxygen starvation, the woman is prescribed vitamin E. It allows the metabolic processes inside the woman's body to normalize, to increase the permeability of cells. When the drug correction is ineffective, the doctor recommends the woman to have a caesarean section, which is performed on the line of 7 months.

In the case when the cause of hypoxia is hidden in blood clotting disorders in the mother, she is recommended to take anticoagulant drugs. To increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood, iron supplements should be taken. To thin the blood of a pregnant woman, Curantil may be prescribed.

With high blood pressure, it is necessary to undergo a course of treatment with Magnesia. It is administered intravenously. This drug can reduce the risk of developing fetal hypoxia.

Prevention. Every pregnant woman must be registered with a gynecologist. To do this, you should go to the antenatal clinic and report your situation.

A pregnant woman needs to lead a healthy lifestyle, she should stop smoking and drinking alcohol, eat right, and devote enough time to rest at night. Also, you should not drink coffee and, if possible, try to avoid stressful situations.

Complications. Sometimes the consequences of hypoxia for fetal health are fatal. First of all, during oxygen starvation, the brain suffers.

In addition, it negatively affects the development of the following systems and organs:

• Immediately after birth, a child may experience increased intracranial pressure, hemorrhages, and disturbances in the work of the heart.
• Seizures can result from hypoxia.
• A frequent complication of fetal oxygen starvation is visual impairment, deterioration in the functioning of the retina.
• Weakness of muscle tone is another complication of intrauterine hypoxia.

Acute hypoxia in a newborn

Acute hypoxia develops during childbirth. Moreover, the woman herself cannot influence this process in any way. Sometimes unskilled actions of medical staff lead to acute hypoxia. Therefore, you need to give birth only in a proven maternity hospital, where highly qualified specialists work.

The reasons. Acute hypoxia can be caused by drugs that have a stimulating effect on labor. Stimulating contractions encourages the baby to seize on amniotic fluid. Rapid childbirth does not allow either the baby's body or the mother's body to prepare for this process. Often it is a quick delivery that causes birth trauma.

Acute hypoxia can develop as a result of the following reasons:

• A woman is carrying several babies at once.
• Polyhydramnios.
• Insufficient labor activity.
• Umbilical cord entwining the child's neck.
• Placental abruption.

Treatment. Elimination of the consequences of hypoxia should be started immediately. During childbirth, the baby can pick up amniotic fluid. The doctor must use specialized equipment to clear them from the airways. With its help, he removes water from the nose and mouth of the crumbs. Until the child's breathing is restored, an oxygen mask should be used.

If hypoxia has a mild course, then to eliminate its consequences, physiotherapeutic treatment, attending massage courses and performing therapeutic exercises are sufficient.

If hypoxia is of moderate severity, then it is necessary to take drugs that improve the functioning of the brain by increasing its blood supply, as well as drugs aimed at normalizing metabolic processes in the body of the baby.

With a severe form of hypoxia, the child needs the help of resuscitators. The developing cerebral edema requires the appointment of diuretics. Anticonvulsant drugs are required to relieve seizures.

Effects. Immediately after the baby is born, his condition is assessed on the Apgar scale. The lower the score, the more severe the consequences of hypoxia. Lack of oxygen contributes to the fact that brain cells die off.

A child who has undergone hypoxia may lag behind in development. Such babies gain weight poorly, their speech is inhibited, and disorders of nervous activity are diagnosed. Mental illnesses are often the result of acute hypoxia.

Prevention. To prevent the development of hypoxia, a woman must monitor her health. It is imperative to be observed by a gynecologist throughout pregnancy, spend more time in the fresh air, just move. It is fresh air that contributes to the enrichment of blood with oxygen, which is the best prevention of hypoxia.

It is also important to pass all planned examinations on time, to get tested. If hypoxia is detected in the early stages, then it will be possible to get rid of its consequences as soon as possible. By the end of pregnancy, a woman should know exactly which maternity hospital she will go to to accomplish one of the most important events in her life.

Author of the article: Alekseeva Maria Yurievna | Therapist

Education: From 2010 to 2016 Practitioner of the therapeutic hospital of the central medical-sanitary unit No. 21, city of elektrostal. Since 2016 she has been working in the diagnostic center No. 3.