Fetal hypoxia - causes of the development of pathology, types (acute, chronic), signs and symptoms. Degrees of intrauterine hypoxia

Fetal hypoxia is a pathological process characterized by insufficient oxygen supply to the fetus. Such an ailment can manifest itself both suddenly and gradually (with the expression of symptoms). Such a disorder is not independent, but arises due to abnormal processes taking place in female body. The time of formation, course and intensity of manifestation of symptoms directly affect the development and general state child's health. If the pathology is not treated, the consequences can be disastrous.

Such a disease can be detected at any stage of pregnancy. The sooner intrauterine fetal hypoxia makes itself felt, the more seriously it will affect the development of the child (both mental and physical). It can also cause damage to the central nervous system, but this is in case of untimely or incorrect treatment.

Medical statistics show that 10% of all pregnancies are oxygen deficient. The therapy of such an ailment is primarily aimed at normalizing the flow of blood to the uterus and placenta, but in case of acute fetal hypoxia, it is recommended to induce labor artificially, and not to use any treatment methods.

Many women, when they find out about such a problem, are horrified, because they mistakenly think that this will certainly lead to the death of their child. However, there is a way to determine fetal hypoxia on your own. This can be done starting from the second trimester of pregnancy (the moment the first signs of baby movement appear). In a normal state, the intensity of movements should not be less than ten manifestations per day, while not one separate movement is considered, but their repetition for several minutes.

To avoid any complications, it is necessary to begin treatment of the disease no later than the seventh day of the child's oxygen deficiency.

Etiology

The causes of intrauterine fetal hypoxia are pathologies that occur in the mother's body, as well as the impact of external adverse factors. The risk of this disorder may arise due to diseases of a woman such as:

• various kidney diseases;
• or ;

If for some reason the gestational age exceeds nine months, then this may also be the reason for the appearance of fetal hypoxia.

The second group of reasons are the processes that take place directly in the womb:

• violation of the flow of blood in the placenta;
• wrapping the umbilical cord around the baby's neck;
• placental obstruction of the birth canal from the uterus;
• intrauterine infection of the child;
• pregnancy with two, three or more fetuses;
• increase in volume amniotic fluid;
• complication of the passage of the baby through the birth canal, most often occurs due to large volumes or incorrect posture of the baby;
• prolonged squeezing of the head, neck of the child during childbirth;
• damage to the integrity of the uterus.

In addition, external factors can serve as causes of fetal hypoxia:

• abuse by a woman during pregnancy of alcohol, nicotine or drugs;
• poisoning chemicals;
• reception a large number medicines;
• poor ecology and high air pollution in the place where the expectant mother lives.

Varieties

According to the rapidity of the course, hypoxia can be:

• short-term, that is, it occurs unexpectedly and quickly;
• moderate severity - expressed directly during childbirth;
• acute - symptoms of the disease are observed a few days before upcoming birth;
• often develops chronic fetal hypoxia - it appears when severe toxicosis, intrauterine infections fetus, incompatibility of blood groups or Rh factors of mother and child. In this case, the fetus usually adjusts and gets used to the lack of oxygen, but this entails many irreversible consequences.

According to the time of occurrence, such a disorder is divided:

• formed in the first months of pregnancy;
• in the second half of the allotted time;
• during childbirth;
• after childbirth occurs very rarely, most often it is a sign of a congenital character.

Symptoms

It is rather difficult to determine the first signs of the disease, since it can manifest itself unexpectedly, but at the same time it is very important to do this precisely on early stages, because this will allow you to quickly start treatment and avoid consequences.

The main symptom of fetal hypoxia is a slow heartbeat, but this cannot be noticed at home. The first sign for consultation with a doctor is a change in the intensity of fetal tremors. Every woman feels a stir, but if the child makes itself felt less three times per day, you should immediately contact a specialist, because this indicates chronic intrauterine fetal hypoxia. acute form, arising suddenly, is characterized by completely opposite signs - the child is too active, pushes hard.

Signs of fetal hypoxia in the first three months of pregnancy are very difficult to determine, so it will be better for the woman and the fetus to be examined by a doctor weekly.

Complications

If all symptoms are ignored or late appeal to the clinic, hypoxia has a number of consequences for the development of the fetus and the health of the unborn child. Complications of chronic fetal hypoxia can be:

• delay in fetal development;
• internal hemorrhages;
• intracellular edema;
• disorders of development and formation internal organs, bones and brain of the fetus.

For a newborn child, the consequences are no less serious:

• psychical deviations;
• delay in mental development;
• diseases of a neurological nature;
• inability to independently perform the functions characteristic of the first days after birth;
• changes in the structure and structure of some internal organs;
• hemorrhages.

In addition, both acute and chronic fetal hypoxia can lead to fetal death in utero or death of the child during the first week of life.

For a woman, the consequences of such a disorder are more mental than physical, except in those cases when the causes of fetal hypoxia were diseases that had already occurred before pregnancy. Complications can be:

• protracted associated with the death of a child;
• refusal of subsequent pregnancies;
• postpartum trauma.

Diagnostics

It is not difficult to diagnose fetal hypoxia starting from the fifth month of pregnancy. Much harder to do in the first place. three months but the sooner the diagnosis is made, the greater the chance of avoiding the consequences of the disease.

Diagnosis of this disease consists of:

• monitoring the intensity of fetal movements;
• listening through a stethoscope heart rate;
• dopplerometry, which allows you to track the speed of blood flow in the umbilical cord and placenta;
• with the help of special gynecological diagnostic methods transparency, color and quantity are assessed amniotic fluid.

Treatment

At the first manifestations of symptoms of fetal hypoxia, a pregnant woman is immediately hospitalized. The first thing that treatment is aimed at is stabilizing the supply of oxygen to the fetus and lowering the tone of the uterus. For this, the patient is prescribed strict bed rest and taking medications that will improve oxygen permeability and metabolism.

When the first improvement in the condition of the fetus is observed, a woman can perform gymnastics, various breathing exercises, and attend aqua gymnastics. If no measures to normalize the oxygen supply to the fetus have given the desired effect, or the symptoms of fetal hypoxia persist for more than twenty-eight weeks of pregnancy, it is best to immediately perform a caesarean section. In the case of acute hypoxia, a newborn child needs the help of a resuscitator.

Timely treatment and normalization of the course of pregnancy can avoid dangerous consequences for a child.

Prevention

Prevention of fetal hypoxia should be performed by a woman who has decided to become a mother, namely:

• plan pregnancy and carefully prepare for it, by examining doctors, treating chronic, infectious or gynecological diseases;
• register with an obstetrician-gynecologist on time;
• regularly observed in antenatal clinic;
• lead healthy lifestyle life, give up alcohol, nicotine and drugs;
• rationalize nutrition by consuming a large amount of vitamins and calcium;
• rest enough time;
• avoid strong physical activity, only breathing exercises;
• timely treatment diseases that accompany pregnancy;
• choose the right way to have a baby. With caesarean section, there is less chance of fetal hypoxia than with natural childbirth.

The diagnosis of "fetal hypoxia" sows panic in the hearts of future parents not only because it can cause irreparable harm to the unborn baby, but also because of its uncertainty. Unlike their foreign counterparts, our doctors prefer to fight the disease itself, and not its cause, which leads to the corresponding results.

What is hypoxia during pregnancy and when can it be expected

The official definition of hypoxia during pregnancy says that it is a lack of oxygen in the body of a child, which can lead to sad consequences in mental or physical development. While the baby is in the womb, mommy provides for him nutrients and oxygen via the placenta. If there is no oxygen at all or it is not enough, then this negatively affects the nervous, cardiovascular system peanut.

Hypoxia may appear early as well as later later dates pregnancy, so the expectant mother should not lose her vigilance. Unfortunately, many pregnant women, feeling discomfort inside themselves, are in no hurry to see a doctor for an examination.

To exclude the manifestation of the negative consequences of hypoxia, a sufficient amount of oxygen for the baby must be provided no later than on the seventh day after the start of fasting.

Causes of hypoxia

Fetal hypoxia can develop due to several reasons. Most often it refers to acquired diseases and very rarely to hereditary. Causes that cause lack of oxygen can become diseases that have been future mother before pregnancy or appeared during the bearing of the baby. These include:

• nephropathy (intoxication) or other kidney diseases;
• pathologies in the development of the mother's lungs;
• heart failure;
• diabetes;

Intrauterine hypoxia can also develop from unfavorable working conditions for a pregnant woman in industries with high level dust in which it is difficult to breathe, there is a lack of fresh air.

The peculiarities of the course of pregnancy can also cause a lack of oxygen in a baby:

• large volume of amniotic fluid;
• breech presentation fetus;
• preeclampsia;
• placenta disease;
• multiple pregnancy;
• disruptions in the blood flow in the uterus and placenta.

The baby may experience a lack of oxygen due to his own diseases:

• congenital defect;
• anemia;
• incompatibility of the mother's blood with the blood of the baby;
• infection.

Signs, symptoms and consequences of hypoxia

Eliminate Negative consequences for a child from oxygen starvation is possible only when the diagnosis is made in a timely manner.

Signs of oxygen starvation in the early stages

The difficulty in diagnosing hypoxia in the early stages lies in the fact that there are no visible signs that would help identify the disease. Doctors can assume a lack of oxygen only in cases where the mother is at risk due to her own illnesses. She is offered additional diagnostics with the help of Doppler, ultrasound.

Signs of fetal hypoxia in the later stages

In the later stages of pregnancy, a woman can independently monitor the health of her baby. However, this is possible only when she feels the first movements of the child, that is, not earlier than - weeks. In this case, the pregnant woman should be attentive to her condition and the level of activity of the baby. Excessively intense movements that bring discomfort and pain, or too sluggish, fading, indicate the possibility of a lack of oxygen. Noting changes in the well-being of the baby, the woman should urgently rush to the doctor, and in special occasions even call an ambulance.

Laboratory diagnostics

decline motor activity the baby may indicate a number of diseases, which an additional examination will help to confirm or refute:

• Ultrasound will show a deviation in the weight and size of the child, a delay in its development, the presence of too thick or thin walls in the placenta, as well as its premature ripening;
• dopplerometry will detect a violation of blood flow in the placenta and uterine arteries, baby bradycardia (insufficient heart rate);
• amnioscopy will reveal the state of the amniotic fluid, which will tell you about the presence of hypoxia.

In addition to research, a pregnant woman will be prescribed a series of blood tests. Based on their results, it will be possible to judge the presence or absence of hypoxia.

Treatment of intrauterine hypoxia

Early detection of hypoxia, coupled with a lack of recommendations for urgent caesarean section, makes it possible to conduct a course of treatment of the disease during pregnancy in order to reduce the likelihood of the child becoming ill after birth. To do this, experts whole line events:

1. Determine the reason for oxygen starvation fetus.
2. They make every effort to eliminate the causes that caused hypoxia. If the problem is non-compliance elementary recommendations mother's doctors during pregnancy, then she is popularly explained to what this can lead to. Complete nutrition, regular walks, adequate sleep, giving up bad habits, will allow you to give birth healthy child. If the cause was a disease, the treatment of which is possible during pregnancy, then maximum efforts are made to get rid of it.
3. It is possible to recommend bed rest, which improves the blood circulation of the uterus.
4. Medical treatment hypoxia involves the appointment of drugs that reduce the contractility of the uterus (no-shpa, brikanil, ginipral, suppositories with papaveril), drugs that restore blood circulation (curantil, aspirin), drugs that improve cell permeability to oxygen (lipostabil, Essentiale Forte), drugs, restoring metabolism (glucose, vitamin E, ascorbic, glutamic acid).
5. It is recommended to take water that is enriched with oxygen.

Unfortunately, even complex therapy may not bring the desired results. If the baby has reached viability by this moment, then the experts decide on early delivery. To preserve the health of the baby, not to bring to extreme measures, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures.

Prevention of hypoxia

Regardless of whether a woman is at risk or not, every pregnant woman must comply with the following instructions:

• leave everything bad habits;
• enough time to be fresh air, avoiding busy highways and industrial zones;
• visit a doctor regularly;
• inform the gynecologist about all existing diseases of the past and present;
• Healthy food;
• do not overwork;
• fully rest;
• learn breathing exercises.

The consequences of oxygen starvation for the baby

Hypoxia can manifest itself in different forms which affect the fetus in different ways.

Chronic hypoxia

The lack of timely diagnosis, and, as a result, the necessary treatment, lead to sad results:

• slowing down the development of the fetus;
• disturbances in the process of organ formation;
• pathology in development nervous system;
• anomalies in physical development;
• poor adaptation of the baby for life after birth.

Features of acute hypoxia

Acute hypoxia has no indications for treatment. To save a viable baby, doctors perform an emergency operation to remove the baby from the womb. If this is not done in short time, the disease will lead to the death of the child.

When a woman finds out about her pregnancy, her life begins to flow according to new rules. She strictly forbids herself to abuse the store-bought goodies saturated with “chemistry”, she is sensitive to her health.

Relatives and friends in her company are not allowed not only to smoke - even to raise their voices, otherwise "the little one is scared." And, although this can sometimes infuriate one of the relatives, all this is correct - the maternal instinct is turned on.

A woman must endure and give birth without difficulty - and for this it is important that the processes in their bodies and the baby go smoothly. If something goes wrong, it first of all hits the little one, ending, say, with hypoxia. Have you been diagnosed with this? Seriously, take action!

What is fetal hypoxia?

With hypoxia, the baby suffocates, that is, there are problems with the "supply" of oxygen from the mother's body. Doctors call this condition of the baby oxygen starvation. It is of two types: acute (occurs during childbirth) and chronic (if it begins in the mother's belly).

So there is not enough oxygen. Violations appear in a tiny body. If hypoxia is seen and treated in time, then it is not scary, but if not, the changes will be irreversible.

Hypoxia at the beginning of pregnancy, when all the systems and organs of the embryo have just begun to form, threatens to develop into abnormal development (less often, into mutilation). Appearing towards the end of pregnancy, the lack of oxygen hits the physical development peanut (growth inhibition, deviations of the mental and physical plane), as well as in the central nervous system.

If oxygen starvation began during childbirth, the baby's muscles will be in hypertonicity, he will have problems with sleep, appetite, constant bad "mood" - in general, disorders of the autonomic nervous system. Such a baby is a typical patient of a neurologist doctor.

How is everything going?

All systems and organs of the "starving" baby include a high alert mode, trying to get more oxygen. But since the baby cannot look out of the belly and inhale full chest, he has to include compensatory possibilities (that is, roughly speaking, what is fully acquired by one organ is completely or partially taken away from another). From the side it seems that the baby is just “nervous” or “playing”, that is, spinning all the time - but this is for the time being, for the time being.

Over time, oppression sets in in a small body - since the “hungry” baby is no longer able to move, it subsides. This is a bad sign that more will follow. severe consequences. That is why many gynecologists warn expectant mothers: if the “bubbler” pushed for a long time and often, and then suddenly calmed down suspiciously (3 movements in an hour, or even less) - go to the gynecologist, and quickly! He can refer you to dopplerometry or - and do not skip these examinations, they are better than others in detecting fetal oxygen starvation.

What causes hypoxia?

Yes, the list of diseases published above makes it clear that one clean air and iron-rich nutrition is not enough - but still a healthy lifestyle greatly increases your chances that you will never hear about hypoxia in your “interesting position”.

Finally, do not miss visits to the LCD - if you are already destined to fight some kind of disease, then the sooner it is detected, the easier it will be to defeat it.

Acute fetal hypoxia

Problems arising during childbirth are a separate case, which should be discussed in more detail. The reasons for hypoxia in this case are also enough:

• entanglement of the baby's neck with the umbilical cord;
• prolonged or very quick delivery when the baby is clamped in the birth canal and cannot breathe;
• premature detachment of the placenta.

Any of these cases causes suffocation (scientifically - asphyxia).

Seeing that the baby has begun oxygen starvation, your obstetrician will intensively monitor the baby (for example, conduct cardiac monitoring, listening to his heart). Even the color of the waters can alert the doctor: if they are green, cloudy, the matter is “unclean” - a lot of meconium has got into them. Also, doctors will not like the “wrong” pH level in the baby’s blood and fetal waters.

If the birth is going on, and hypoxia is only growing, the doctor will stop you and you will be lucky to have an urgent cesarean.

Important point! Often acute hypoxia- This is a consequence of problems during pregnancy. That is, if you take care of yourself all 9 months before giving birth, or if you are diagnosed and treated in time for all diseases, you will have many chances to give birth normally, without oxygen starvation and cesarean.

Fetal hypoxia is a complex of changes in the body of the fetus due to insufficient oxygen supply. This is not an independent disease, but a consequence of various pathological processes occurring in the body of the mother, fetus and placenta.

Oxygen deficiency leads to disruption of the body, changes in metabolic processes. IN different dates Pregnancy oxygen deficiency has different consequences for the fetus. In the early stages, it leads to the appearance of developmental anomalies, slowing down the development of the embryo. In late pregnancy, oxygen starvation leads to fetal growth retardation, damage to its central nervous system, and reduces the adaptive capacity of the newborn.

I must say that the body of the fetus has good compensatory abilities necessary to maintain the desired level of blood flow. This is achieved by increasing the heart rate to 150-160 beats per minute, the special structure of fetal (fetal) hemoglobin, which captures and retains oxygen better than adult hemoglobin. A decrease in blood oxygen saturation leads to a change in metabolic processes in the fetus. All his organs and systems begin to work with greater activity. The fetus seeks to provide blood to vital organs (brain, kidneys, heart), while intestinal hypoxia occurs, and, consequently, the release of meconium (original feces). But, unfortunately, the possibilities of these compensatory mechanisms have a limit, and with prolonged adverse effects, the protection weakens. And above all, the nervous system suffers, because. It is now generally accepted that one of the most oxygen-dependent, and therefore most sensitive to the damaging effects of hypoxia, is nervous tissue, which becomes the initial object of the pathological influence of oxygen deficiency.

Hypoxia delays the maturation of brain structures in the embryo from 6-11 weeks of development, causes disturbances in the structure and functioning of blood vessels, and slows down the maturation of the blood-brain barrier. This barrier is defense mechanism the central nervous system - the capillary system of the brain, and any damage to it endangers the normal functioning of the brain.

Minor hypoxia usually does not affect the health of the unborn child. Severe hypoxia is accompanied by ischemia (areas with insufficient blood flow) and necrosis (areas of tissue destruction) in various organs, which leads to irreversible consequences. IN postpartum period neurological disorders in a child born from a pregnancy that proceeded under conditions of hypoxia, vary in a wide range: from functional disorders to severe disorders of mental development.

Why does fetal hypoxia occur?

Factors contributing to the development of hypoxia are numerous. First of all, it is the disease of the mother. Among them, anemia is a decrease in the total amount of hemoglobin. With anemia, the main function of red blood cells is disrupted - the delivery of oxygen to the tissues of the body.

In the presence of acquired and congenital heart defects, myocardial diseases, chronic lung diseases in conditions increased load on these organs in pregnant women, circulatory failure most often occurs, in which microcirculation in the tissues is disturbed, as a result of which hypoxia and disturbances in the work of the mother-placenta-fetus system gradually develop.

Diseases respiratory system (bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, etc.) also adversely affect the course of pregnancy. They become the reason respiratory failure, the consequence of which is hypoxia of the organs and tissues of the woman and, accordingly, the fetus. Kidney disease, diabetes can also cause impaired oxygen supply to the fetus.

Other causes of hypoxia are violations of the fetal-placental blood flow, which occurs when the pregnancy is overdue, the threat of premature birth, pathology of the placenta and umbilical cord, anomalies labor activity and other complications of pregnancy and childbirth.

Fetal diseases also lead to hypoxia: hemolytic disease(a condition that occurs when there is incompatibility in the blood type of the fetus and mother), intrauterine infection, birth defects development, prolonged compression of the head during childbirth. As you can see, there are enough reasons.

Diagnosis of fetal hypoxia

You can independently suspect fetal hypoxia by observing changes in its motor activity. IN initial stage there is restless behavior of the fetus, increased and increased perturbations. With prolonged or progressive hypoxia, fetal movements are weakened. It requires immediate appeal to the doctor and the use of additional research methods, such as cardiotocography (CTG) and dopplerometry, amniotic fluid examination, laboratory diagnostics. A sign of hypoxia is fetal growth retardation.

Cardiotocography is one of the modern highly informative methods for diagnosing the intrauterine state of the fetus during pregnancy using a heart monitor. The condition is assessed based on the analysis of the fetal heart rate and its motor activity. It is especially important to conduct such a study in childbirth. By doing this study two graphs are obtained: one reflects the heart rate of the fetus, the other is its motor activity. At the same time, uterine contractions are recorded. By evaluating how the heartbeat changes depending on the movements or contractions, one can judge the condition of the baby. This study is carried out in the third trimester of pregnancy for a period of 32 weeks.

In childbirth, the main criterion for fetal hypoxia is a violation of its cardiac activity, therefore, cardiomonitoring of the fetus is widely used in childbirth.

Dopplerometry is one of the ultrasound methods that allows you to study the nature and speed of blood flow in the vessels of the placenta and umbilical cord, the violation of which leads to the development of hypoxia.

Ultrasound examination (ultrasound) is also important for the diagnosis of hypoxia. Because the intrauterine development fetus from the moment of implantation - implementation gestational sac into the uterine mucosa - before childbirth proceeds in aquatic environment (amniotic fluid), of great importance for the diagnosis pathological conditions fetus is assigned to the composition, volume and color of amniotic fluid. Almost all of these parameters can be assessed using ultrasound.

Normally, amniotic fluid remains homogeneous for a long time. Starting from about the 28th week in the amniotic fluid with ultrasound examination you can see a fine suspension, which is not a sign of impaired fetal life. Small particles represent desquamated epithelium skin and elements of cheese-like lubrication of the fetus - at the end of the fifth month of pregnancy (20 weeks) sebaceous glands they begin to secrete a fatty substance, which mixes with the scales of the epidermis and forms a cheese-like lubricant that covers the skin of the fetus with a thin layer. This lubricant protects the skin of the fetus from the damaging effects of amniotic fluid. However, ultrasound does not fully allow assessing the state and composition of amniotic fluid, characteristic of hypoxia.

Pronounced changes in the volume of amniotic fluid have practical value. How pronounced oligohydramnios, and polyhydramnios are signs of trouble.

Amnioscopy (amnio is translated from Greek as "fetal membrane", and scopeo - "I examine") - examination of the lower pole amniotic sac using an endoscopic device inserted into the cervical canal. Amnioscopy is used to assess the condition of the fetus in cases of suspected pregnancy prolongation, chronic or acute fetal hypoxia, incompatibility in the blood type of the mother and fetus, aggravated obstetric history(miscarriage, spontaneous miscarriages, severe gestosis, premature birth). By color, transparency, the amount of amniotic fluid, the nature of the flakes of the original lubricant, the presence of meconium and some other signs, the condition of the fetus is assessed. Amnioscopy has a number of contraindications, such as bloody issues from the genital tract (suspected placenta previa - a condition in which the placenta blocks the exit from the uterus), colpitis, cervicitis and other infectious processes of the genital tract, the threat of abortion. Complications during amnioscopy premature effusion amniotic fluid and the development of labor, bleeding, infection) are extremely rare.

The color of the amniotic fluid, which also serves as an indicator of the state of the fetus in the womb, is assessed, as a rule, in the first stage of labor, after the amniotic fluid has been discharged. During a normal pregnancy, the water is colorless and almost transparent. Coloring of amniotic fluid green color meconium (the so-called original stool) is one of the signs of fetal oxygen deficiency, i.e. his hypoxia.

Treatment of fetal hypoxia

If you suspect chronic hypoxia fetus (toxicosis of pregnant women, extragenital diseases of a woman, etc.), a pregnant woman is hospitalized or sent to diagnostic center to study the condition of the fetus, to determine the cause of hypoxia. Measures aimed at improving uteroplacental circulation and normalizing the metabolic processes of the fetus can be carried out on an outpatient basis.

In the absence of contraindications, pregnant women may be prescribed aqua gymnastics in combination with a complex breathing exercises. During breathing exercises there is a relaxation of the tone of the uterus and the whole organism, the process of assimilation of oxygen by the fetus is enhanced. Connecting a set of aqua gymnastics exercises contributes to an even greater decrease in the tone of the uterus, an increase in metabolic processes in the body of the mother and fetus, and the assimilation of oxygen by the fetus. As a result of all activities, there is a decrease in signs of intrauterine fetal hypoxia.

For pregnant women with chronic intrauterine fetal hypoxia, rest is important. Bed rest improves the blood supply to the uterus. It is important to treat the underlying disease that led to the development of hypoxia. Also, therapy is carried out aimed at improving the supply of oxygen to the fetus, the normalization of metabolic processes. This therapy should be complex. By using medications while trying to achieve:

• expansion of the vessels of the uterine and fetal placental parts of the placenta (EUFISHIN, NO-ShPA);
• relaxation of the muscles of the uterus (GINIPRAL, MAGNE-Wb);
• in the normalization of the rheological properties of blood in the system "mother - placenta - fetus" (TRENTAL, ACTOVEGIN).

In addition, drugs are needed that normalize metabolic processes (mixtures of amino acids, proteins), contribute to the stabilization of the structural and functional properties of cell membranes (ESSENTIALE, HOFITOL), increase the resistance of the brain and fetal tissues to hypoxia (aptihypoxants, neuroprotectors).

In the absence of the effect of complex therapy, the deterioration of the fetus with a gestational age of more than 28 weeks, the issue of emergency delivery by caesarean section is decided.

If the pregnancy proceeded under conditions of chronic intrauterine fetal hypoxia, childbirth is carried out with mandatory cardiomonitoring of the fetus, because. this increases the possibility of diagnosing acute hypoxia and makes it possible to rationally resolve the issue of further tactics of labor management.

One of the severe pathological phenomena during childbearing is fetal hypoxia. What is this condition, what are its causes and symptoms? Let's look for answers to these questions.

What is fetal hypoxia

During the growth and development of the unborn child, his lungs are just being formed. Oxygen, which is the basis of development, it receives through the placenta. This is the only source of supply, which in turn "takes" oxygen from the mother. When at least one of the constituent links is problematic, either fetal oxygen deficiency occurs.

The beginning of hypoxia, its duration affect the future of the baby. The sooner it comes and the longer it lasts, the worse it is for the baby. IN early period pregnancy can lead to deviations in the development of the child, the brain. This phenomenon is fraught with neurological diseases of the child in the future.

Hypoxia is no less dangerous in the later stages of bearing a child, causing a delay in its development. In the worst case, it may lead to the need for an early.

Hypoxia during childbirth

Hypoxia, in addition to the onset during the gestation period, can also begin during childbirth. Such hypoxia is called acute. By and large, all newborns experience a slight lack of oxygen, they adapt to temporary hypoxia.

But sometimes acute hypoxia can be very dangerous. This happens in premature babies, with prolonged labor, bleeding or infection.

There is another, severe form of fetal hypoxia - asphyxia (suffocation). With it, the supply of oxygen to the child almost completely stops. Asphyxia may be the result birth complications. For example, detachment of the placenta, entanglement of the child with the umbilical cord or its infringement.

During labor, the color of amniotic fluid may indicate hypoxia. If the departed waters are cloudy or greenish color means that there are signs of oxygen deficiency. The admixture of meconium in the waters also signals hypoxia.

What are the symptoms of hypoxia?

The expectant mother in the second half of pregnancy feels the movements of the child. They need to be attentive and monitor their frequency. 10 movements per day is considered the norm. That is, if the baby moved for a minute or two, this is one movement, one episode. future mommy must learn to count them. Some doctors believe that increased movement is a sign of fetal hypoxia. This increase is also called the "hiccups" of the child. Other doctors argue that a decrease in the number of movements, or even their cessation, is more indicative. If such symptoms are present, then the woman is recommended to do CTG, that is, fixing the fetal heartbeats with a special sensor. The CTG specialist will tell you how the child feels and whether he suffers from an oxygen deficiency. However, it should be noted that this study may provide false positive results. Namely: to detect hypoxia where it does not exist.

As a rule, in early pregnancy it is difficult to detect oxygen starvation of the fetus. But it can be assumed if the mother suffers from anemia or other diseases.

Signs of oxygen starvation of the fetus can be detected on ultrasound diagnostics. So, the factor of hypoxia is the delay when its indicators less than normal for this period of pregnancy.

This developmental pathology is also diagnosed on dopplerometry. Deterioration of blood flow in the placenta and a decrease in heart rate signal oxygen starvation.

Examination of a pregnant woman by the attending physician can also reveal hypoxia. In this case, the sign is an unusual heartbeat of the baby. A decrease in heart rate signals fetal hypoxia. Since the doctor listens to the baby's heartbeat at each examination, oxygen starvation can be detected early.

Also, an indirect signal of hypoxia is the pathology of the placenta according to the results of ultrasound. It can be either too large or less than the norm, its thickness, or detachment.

The expectant mother must remember every minute about her responsibility to the child. Rigorous Compliance doctor's recommendations, attention to one's health, timely seeking help if necessary is the key and basis for the birth of a healthy son or daughter.

Especially for Elena TOLOCHIK