What Happens When a Baby Is Not Growing in the Womb

Please note: This information was current at the time of publication. But medical information is always changing, and some information given here may exist out of date. For regularly updated information on a variety of wellness topics, please visit familydoctor.org, the AAFP patient education website.

Information from Your Family Medico

Intrauterine Growth Restriction: When Your Babe Stops Growing Before Nascence

Am Fam Physician. 1998 Aug one;58(2):466-467.

See related article on intrauterine growth restriction.

What is intrauterine growth restriction?

Intrauterine growth restriction ("IUGR," for brusk) 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 nascency.

What causes IUGR?

IUGR has various causes. The almost mutual crusade is a problem in the placenta (the tissue that carries food and claret to the infant). Birth defects and genetic disorders can cause IUGR. If the mother has an infection, loftier blood pressure, is smoking, or drinking too much alcohol or abusing drugs, her baby might have IUGR. Sometimes a prescribed medicine that the female parent is taking causes IUGR.

Did I cause this trouble?

Almost of the causes of IUGR are across your control. Usually, nothing the mother did causes IUGR in her infant. Only if you lot smoke cigarettes, drinkable alcohol or abuse drugs, you can cause IUGR in your infant.

Practise all small babies have IUGR?

No. About one third of the babies who are pocket-sized at nativity have IUGR. The rest of them don't have IUGR—they're just smaller than normal. Merely like there are different sizes of infants, children and adults, in that location are besides different sizes of babies in the uterus. Pocket-size babies tend to run in families. The parents or other children in the family may accept been minor when they were born, too.

How volition I know if my baby is just small or has IUGR?

During your pregnancy, your md will practice tests to find out if your baby is growing usually. The principal examination for checking a baby's growth in the uterus is an ultrasound. The ultrasound examination lets your doctor encounter your baby in your uterus with an instrument that is moved across your abdomen (belly).

When the ultrasound exam is washed, your doctor will measure the size of your baby's caput, belly and legs. These measurements volition tell y'all and your doctor if your baby is growing normally. Your doctor will likewise notice out the amount of amniotic fluid in your uterus. In some babies with growth restriction, the corporeality of amniotic fluid is low. If your baby is small, ultrasound exams may be done more often than usual to cheque your baby's health.

Are there other tests I might have?

One examination is fetal monitoring. It's a way to check your infant'south health inside your womb. Straps are put over your uterus equally yous lie down for well-nigh 30 minutes. You will hear your babe'southward heart shell as it is recorded. Your doctor can look at the heartbeat recording and see if your baby's heartbeat is normal.

Y'all might also accept 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 come across if it shows the crusade of the IUGR. The amniotic fluid might show genetic problems or infection.

If my baby has IUGR, will I have to give nascence early on?

Maybe not. The time of delivery depends on how well your baby is doing. Sometimes, babies with IUGR continue on growing in the uterus. If your babe keeps gaining some weight, an early commitment (earlier the due appointment) may non be needed. But if your baby is not growing at all or has other bug, your doctor may make up one's mind that an early commitment could assist. In this case, your doctor may want to induce labor. Your baby's eye rate and movements will be closely watched to help yous and your doctor make this decision.

Will I demand to have a cesarean department?

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

If I accept another baby, volition that infant likewise have IUGR?

Generally, no. IUGR unremarkably doesn't occur in another pregnancy. But in some women, it does happen again. Women who have some other pregnancy affected by IUGR normally have an illness, such as hypertension, that causes IUGR. Practiced command of illnesses before and during pregnancy lowers the risk of having another baby with IUGR.

Volition my infant need to stay in the infirmary longer than usual?

Probably, especially if your baby was born early on. Babies who are pocket-size at nascence need to stay in the hospital until they tin exhale and feed normally. After your infant is born, the medico will check your baby's weight to make sure the baby is growing. Generally, babies stay in the hospital until they weigh nearly 5 pounds.

Will my infant grow upwardly to be normal in height?

Yes. Your baby will probably grab upward in size and have a normal meridian by most two years of age.

What can I do to help my infant while I'g meaning?

The best way to assist your baby is to pay attention to your babe's movements. Make sure your baby is moving every day. A baby who moves around frequently is usually good for you. A baby who doesn't move very oftentimes or who stops moving may be ill. If you notice your babe isn't moving as much, call your doctor.

Another way you lot can assist your baby is to get a lot of residue. Residuum may help you feel amend. It may even assist your infant grow. Try to get viii hours of sleep (or more than) each night. An hour or two of residuum in the afternoon is also salubrious. Your physician may fifty-fifty want yous to become to the infirmary to make sure you lot rest. The hospital staff will proceed a close heart on y'all and your babe.

Finally, if you lot fume, beverage alcohol or utilise drugs, stop at present. These things can hurt your babe. This may be all that is needed to improve your baby's health, as well as your ain.

To see the full article, log in or purchase access.

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

This data provides a full general overview and may not utilise to everyone. Talk to your family physician to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.

Copyright © 1998 by the American University of Family Physicians.
This content is owned by the AAFP. A person viewing information technology online may make 1 printout of the material and may use that printout but for his or her personal, non-commercial reference. This material may non otherwise exist downloaded, copied, printed, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any medium, whether now known or later invented, except as authorized in writing by the AAFP. Contact afpserv@aafp.org for copyright questions and/or permission requests.

manifoldwhateening01.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.aafp.org/afp/1998/0801/p466.html