In many cases, pregnancy and birth are long and uncomfortable, but ultimately uneventful processes (that is, upward until your infant's big debut). But sometimes, pregnancy or labor complications can crusade an unborn baby to go into fetal distress, which tin be dangerous and may require immediate delivery.

Hither's what y'all demand to know most this relatively rare complication, including tips to reduce your risk.

What is fetal distress?

Fetal distress (what doctors adopt to call "nonreassuring fetal status") is when your practitioner is concerned that your infant's oxygen supply may be compromised in utero before or during labor. Oxygen deprivation can event in decreased fetal middle charge per unit and requires immediate action to protect your baby.

What causes fetal distress?

Fetal distress may be caused by a number of factors, including:

  • Intrauterine growth brake (IUGR)
  • Preeclampsia
  • Placental abruption
  • Uncontrolled diabetes
  • Too much amniotic fluid
  • Low levels of amniotic fluid
  • A pregnancy lasting longer than 40 weeks
  • Labor complications, including labor going also rapidly or lasting besides long
  • Umbilical cord prolapse, compression or entanglement
  • Staying in a position (usually flat on your back during labor) for a long period of time, which somewhen puts force per unit area on your major blood vessels and cuts off oxygen to your infant

What are the signs of fetal distress?

Yous may be experiencing signs of fetal distress if you or your doctor notes that:

  • Your infant has a decreased center rate
  • Your baby has a dissimilar (on nonexistent) pattern of fetal move after week 28
  • Your water breaks and is light-green-dark-brown (that's infant's showtime poop; some babies who pass this meconium while still in the uterus may be in distress)

The merely way to know for sure that your babe's in fetal distress is with a continuous fetal monitor, performing a nonstress exam or with an ultrasound and performing a biophysical contour.

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Who is about at risk for fetal distress?

Several weather condition may put your baby at increased risk for fetal distress, including:

  • IUGR
  • Likewise much or too lilliputian amniotic fluid
  • Preeclampsia
  • Uncontrolled diabetes
  • Placental abruption
  • Umbilical cord issues
  • A long or complicated labor
  • An overdue pregnancy

What tin can you lot do if your baby is in distress?

If you've noticed a change in fetal activity or your kick count is off and yous're concerned, call your practitioner right away. Also accomplish out immediately if your h2o has broken and is green-brown, which ways it's stained with meconium.

When yous arrive at your practitioner'due south office or the hospital, yous'll get placed on a fetal monitor to check whether your baby is actually showing signs of distress. Yous may also receive supplemental oxygen to help oxygenate your claret, equally well every bit IV fluids, which should assist regulate your infant'south heart rate. (These aforementioned steps will be taken if your dr. notices your baby's in distress during a routine checkup or nonstress test.)

If you're already in labor, you may be told to switch positions. Yous may also be taken off of contraction-inducing drugs (oxytocin) or given a medication to irksome contractions.

If these techniques don't work, the best treatment is a quick delivery, ofttimes by C-section.

Is there anything you can do to prevent fetal distress?

While you can't prevent fetal distress, you can lower the odds it'll happen to you by going to all of your prenatal appointments and following your doctor's recommendations for a healthy pregnancy. These tips are especially important if you've been diagnosed with a condition that increases your gamble of fetal distress, like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes.

Many people don't necessarily notice a baby is in fetal distress, so an increasing number of prenatal appointments during the last few weeks of pregnancy allows your doctor to monitor your baby'south centre rate, measure your belly and ask you about your baby's movements to ensure everything'south going as expected. A baby with a strong, stable heartbeat with advisable movements is doing well.