Each of us knows very well that the development of a child in the womb consists of several specific stages. During their course, the fetus, which is developing properly, should reach a certain growth. However, if this does not happen, parents should immediately go to the doctor and verify what is happening.
Fetal hypotrophy is nothing more than intrauterine fetal growth restriction, which occurs in as many as three to ten percent of all pregnancies. This condition means that the growth and development of the fetus is abnormal because it is delayed in relation to its age. We distinguish between asymmetrical and symmetrical hypotrophy. What are the characteristics of each of them?
Symmetrical foetal hypotrophy occurs when both the weight of the foetus and its height are lower than centrally established norms for a given week of foetal life. Therefore, it is extremely important for the doctor to correctly determine the age of the fetus. Otherwise, hypotrophy or any other type of fetal growth restriction may be mistakenly diagnosed. Symmetrical fetal hypotrophy may appear up to the twentieth week of pregnancy. Moreover, there are also cases when it occurs in the case of low maternal growth and multiple pregnancies. The majority of cases are caused by infections such as chickenpox, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, influenza, herpes or rubella. In addition, even smoking and drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to fetal hypotrophy.
Asymmetric fetal hypotrophy occurs when the body of the fetus is slightly reduced, while the limbs as well as the head develop normally. When this type of condition occurs, there is a serious risk of underdevelopment of the heart muscle, as well as many other internal organs, such as the brain, and adrenal glands. The fetus may have elevated triglyceride levels and may also be hypoxic. As you can guess, these situations lead to problems with the baby's life after birth. For what reasons does asymmetrical fetal hypotrophy occur? There can be many reasons, but the most important include gestational diabetes, malnutrition of the mother and her heart defects, as well as hypertension.
The treatment of a fetus that has been diagnosed with fetal hypotrophy is really difficult. Nevertheless, it is necessary, because otherwise normal development may not be possible. Hypotrophy is treated with the help of allowing as good blood circulation as possible, as well as stimulating the circulation in the mother's body. Moreover, when there are difficult cases, the mother is given specific drugs responsible for stimulating the circulation. In case the fetus is not in danger, the parent should lie on her left side and also follow the special diet that the doctor prescribes.
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