Emergency signals of fetal distress by your baby

Fetal distress refers to a condition in which the fetus is not getting enough oxygen or is experiencing other problems that may be harmful to its health. Emergency signals of fetal distress include:

Sudden stop of fetal movement

It can be due to knotting of umbilical cord around the neck which will make the blood unable to circulate, causing the fetus to suffocate due to lack of oxygen.

Suggestion:

Expectant mothers who are pregnant between 18 weeks and 20 weeks should learn how to calculate fetal movement. Normally, the fetal movements will be at least 10.

Abnormal fetal heart rate 

The normal fetal heart rate is regular and powerful, generally about 110 to 160 beats per minute, and can be heard after 12 weeks of pregnancy. If the fetal position is normal, the left or right side of the lower abdomen of the pregnant mother is where the fetal back is located, and this is where we can auscultate the fetal heart. Abnormal fetal heart indicates that the baby is deprived of oxygen.

If it exceeds 160 times per minute, it may be the signal of early hypoxia in the fetus. If the fetal movement is reduced or stopped, the fetal heart rate beats less than 110 beats per minute, which is the late stage of fetal hypoxia.

Baby growth retardation

The growth of the fetus will also be slow when the baby is experiencing hypoxia. Slow fetal growth means that the growth and development of the fetus in the uterus is limited, and it does not reach the size corresponding to the gestational age. 

The main manifestation is that the fetal weight is lower than the normal fetus of the same gestational age, and the birth weight of the fetus after 37 weeks of pregnancy is less than 2500g.

Suggestion: 

Fetal growth can be known by measuring the height of the fundus, which is the distance between the pubic symphysis and the highest point of the uterus. Under normal circumstances, after 28 weeks of pregnancy, it should be increased by about 1cm per week. If it does not increase for two weeks, it should be further examined.

If the expectant mother is diagnosed with intrauterine growth retardation, it is important to rule out fetal malformations by ultrasound.