Intrauterine Hypoxia: Signs, Treatment, Causes, Consequences

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

Intrauterine hypoxia

The content of the article:

1. Causes
2. Forms
3. Signs
4. Diagnostics
5. Treatment
6. Prevention
7. Consequences and complications

Intrauterine hypoxia is a syndrome resulting from insufficient oxygen supply to the developing fetus. It develops as a complication of various pathological processes occurring in the placenta, the body of the fetus or a pregnant woman.

Signs of intrauterine hypoxia

Causes

An insignificant and short-term lack of oxygen does not have a negative effect on the condition of the fetus (due to well-developed compensatory mechanisms). But if the fetus experiences hypoxia for a long time or acute hypoxia develops, pathological changes in metabolism occur. Severe intrauterine hypoxia can cause ischemia and necrosis of fetal tissues, up to its death.

Intrauterine hypoxia can be caused by:

• placental insufficiency;
• placenta previa or low placenta;
• premature placental abruption;
• gestosis;
• entanglement with the umbilical cord;
• little or polyhydramnios;
• multiple pregnancy;
• intrauterine infection of the fetus;
• true prolonged pregnancy;
• fetal malformations;
• infectious diseases of the mother (influenza, rubella, chickenpox, cytomegalovirus);
• somatic diseases of the mother (anemia, diabetes mellitus, pneumonia, heart disease);
• intoxication of the mother's body (alcohol, cigarette smoke, heavy metals).

Intrauterine hypoxia can occur due to the entanglement of the fetus with the umbilical cord

Forms

Intrauterine hypoxia can be acute or chronic. Acute can occur at any stage of pregnancy, but is more common in the third trimester. Chronic develops gradually, with it, the fetus has time to adapt to the lack of oxygen, however, in the absence of treatment, the consequences can be severe (in the child - underdevelopment of the central nervous system, delayed physical development, etc.).

Depending on the intensity of oxygen starvation, three degrees of severity of intrauterine hypoxia are distinguished:

1. Light - only signs of impaired uteroplacental blood flow are characteristic.
2. Medium - metabolic processes are disturbed in the fetus.
3. Severe - irreversible changes occur at the cellular level.

Signs

The fetus reacts to a lack of oxygen, first of all, by a change in motor activity. In the initial stages of intrauterine hypoxia, fetal movements are enhanced. Then, as oxygen deficiency progresses, the amplitude of movements decreases, and their frequency decreases. The fetal heart rate also changes.

The main sign of intrauterine hypoxia is weak fetal activity

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of intrauterine fetal hypoxia is carried out on the basis of data obtained by the following methods:

• observation of the motor activity of the fetus;
• auscultation of the fetal heartbeat using an obstetric stethoscope;
• cardiotocography (CTG);
• Ultrasound;
• dopplerometry.

Ultrasound of a pregnant woman for the diagnosis of intrauterine hypoxia

Treatment

With the development of acute intrauterine hypoxia, conservative therapy is ineffective. If you do not carry out urgent delivery, the fetus quickly dies. Therefore, this condition is an indication for an emergency caesarean section for the benefit of the fetus.

Therapy of chronic intrauterine hypoxia is aimed at treating the underlying disease that led to its development. They use drugs that improve uteroplacental blood flow, stimulate metabolism, enhance the resistance of the fetal nervous system to the damaging effects of hypoxia.

With intrauterine hypoxia of moderate and severe degree, hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) has a positive therapeutic effect.

With intrauterine hypoxia of moderate and severe degree, hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) is effective

If conservative treatment of chronic intrauterine hypoxia does not lead to an improvement in the condition of the fetus, then after reaching the 28th week of pregnancy, the question of early delivery is raised.

Prevention

Prevention of intrauterine fetal hypoxia includes the following measures:

• identification and treatment of gynecological and somatic diseases of the mother at the stage of pregnancy planning;
• early registration of a pregnant woman and careful monitoring of the course of pregnancy and fetal development;
• proper rational nutrition, balanced in the content of essential nutrients, enriched with vitamins and minerals;
• observance of the regime of work and rest;
• walking a pregnant woman in the fresh air;
• exclusion of exposure to harmful factors (alcohol, drugs, smoking, polluted atmosphere) on the pregnant woman;
• timely treatment of acute diseases or prevention of exacerbation of chronic pathologies during pregnancy;
• rational management of childbirth.

Consequences and complications

Severe intrauterine fetal hypoxia, especially persisting for a long time, is fraught with serious complications:

• intrauterine growth retardation;
• the appearance of developmental anomalies;
• infantile cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy) and other diseases of the nervous system (for example, epilepsy).

Severe intrauterine hypoxia can cause death of the fetus or newborn.

YouTube video related to the article:

Elena Minkina Doctor anesthesiologist-resuscitator About the author

Education: graduated from the Tashkent State Medical Institute, specializing in general medicine in 1991. Repeatedly passed refresher courses.

Work experience: anesthesiologist-resuscitator of the city maternity complex, resuscitator of the hemodialysis department.

The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!