Will I Know if My Baby Heart Stops Beating

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Intrauterine Growth Brake: When Your Baby Stops Growing Before Nascence

Am Fam Dr.. 1998 Aug 1;58(2):466-467.

Encounter related article on intrauterine growth restriction.

What is intrauterine growth restriction?

Intrauterine growth restriction ("IUGR," for short) is a term for a baby who is smaller than normal during pregnancy. The baby is not growing inside the uterus at the normal rate. These babies usually accept a low weight at birth.

What causes IUGR?

IUGR has various causes. The virtually mutual cause is a problem in the placenta (the tissue that carries food and blood to the baby). Birth defects and genetic disorders can cause IUGR. If the mother has an infection, high blood force per unit area, is smoking, or drinking too much alcohol or abusing drugs, her baby might have IUGR. Sometimes a prescribed medicine that the mother is taking causes IUGR.

Did I cause this problem?

Most of the causes of IUGR are beyond your control. Unremarkably, nothing the mother did causes IUGR in her baby. Just if you lot smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol or abuse drugs, you tin can crusade IUGR in your infant.

Do all minor babies have IUGR?

No. About one third of the babies who are small at birth take IUGR. The remainder of them don't take IUGR—they're just smaller than normal. Only like in that location are different sizes of infants, children and adults, in that location are also different sizes of babies in the uterus. Small babies tend to run in families. The parents or other children in the family may have been small when they were born, too.

How will I know if my babe is just small-scale or has IUGR?

During your pregnancy, your medico will practice tests to discover out if your baby is growing normally. The principal exam for checking a baby's growth in the uterus is an ultrasound. The ultrasound exam lets your doctor see your babe in your uterus with an instrument that is moved across your abdomen (abdomen).

When the ultrasound examination is done, your doctor will measure the size of your baby's head, abdomen and legs. These measurements will tell you and your medico if your baby is growing ordinarily. Your doctor will also find out the amount of amniotic fluid in your uterus. In some babies with growth restriction, the amount of amniotic fluid is depression. If your infant is small, ultrasound exams may be done more often than usual to check your babe's health.

Are there other tests I might accept?

One test is fetal monitoring. It's a way to check your babe'due south health inside your womb. Straps are put over your uterus as you lie down for about 30 minutes. You will hear your baby's heart beat as it is recorded. Your physician can look at the heartbeat recording and see if your infant'southward heartbeat is normal.

Y'all might too take an amniocentesis. A needle is put through your breadbasket area into your uterus. A few teaspoons of amniotic fluid are withdrawn in the needle. The fluid is tested to meet if it shows the cause of the IUGR. The amniotic fluid might show genetic bug or infection.

If my babe has IUGR, will I have to give birth early on?

Possibly not. The time of commitment depends on how well your baby is doing. Sometimes, babies with IUGR keep on growing in the uterus. If your infant keeps gaining some weight, an early delivery (earlier the due date) may not be needed. Only if your baby is not growing at all or has other bug, your doctor may decide that an early on commitment could help. In this case, your medico may desire to induce labor. Your babe's heart charge per unit and movements will exist closely watched to help you lot and your doctor make this decision.

Will I need to accept a cesarean section?

If at that place are no signs of problems with your baby during labor, a vaginal delivery is OK. Some babies with IUGR are weak. The stress of labor and commitment may be too much for a weak baby. If your infant has problems during labor, a cesarean section (also called a C section) may exist safer.

If I have another baby, will that baby as well take IUGR?

Generally, no. IUGR commonly doesn't occur in some other pregnancy. But in some women, information technology does happen again. Women who have some other pregnancy afflicted by IUGR ordinarily have an illness, such as hypertension, that causes IUGR. Adept control of illnesses before and during pregnancy lowers the chance of having another babe with IUGR.

Will my baby demand to stay in the hospital longer than usual?

Probably, especially if your baby was born early. Babies who are pocket-size at birth need to stay in the hospital until they tin breathe and feed normally. Later on your baby is built-in, the doctor volition check your infant'south weight to make sure the baby is growing. More often than not, babies stay in the hospital until they counterbalance almost v pounds.

Will my babe grow up to exist normal in height?

Aye. Your babe will probably catch upwardly in size and have a normal acme by about 2 years of age.

What tin can I do to help my baby while I'm meaning?

The best way to help your baby is to pay attention to your babe's movements. Make sure your babe is moving every twenty-four hour period. A babe who moves around ofttimes is usually salubrious. A baby who doesn't move very ofttimes or who stops moving may be sick. If you notice your baby isn't moving as much, phone call your md.

Another style yous can help your infant is to become a lot of remainder. Rest may help you lot feel better. It may even help your infant grow. Try to become eight hours of sleep (or more) each night. An hour or ii of remainder in the afternoon is also good for you lot. Your medico may even want yous to get to the infirmary to brand sure you residuum. The hospital staff will keep a shut eye on you lot and your baby.

Finally, if you fume, drink booze or employ drugs, stop now. These things can hurt your baby. This may be all that is needed to meliorate your baby's health, as well every bit your own.

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This handout is provided to you by your family doctor and the American Academy of Family unit Physicians. Other wellness-related information is available from the AAFP online at http://familydoctor.org.

This information provides a full general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family physician to find out if this information applies to y'all and to get more information on this discipline.

Copyright © 1998 by the American University of Family Physicians.
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Source: https://www.aafp.org/afp/1998/0801/p466.html