What if Your Baby Has No Heartbeat at 6 Weeks

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Intrauterine Growth Restriction: When Your Baby Stops Growing Before Nativity

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

See related commodity on intrauterine growth restriction.

What is intrauterine growth restriction?

Intrauterine growth brake ("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 have a depression weight at nascency.

What causes IUGR?

IUGR has various causes. The most mutual crusade is a problem in the placenta (the tissue that carries food and claret to the baby). Birth defects and genetic disorders tin can cause IUGR. If the mother has an infection, high blood pressure, is smoking, or drinking besides much alcohol or abusing drugs, her baby might take 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. Usually, nothing the mother did causes IUGR in her infant. But if you fume cigarettes, drink alcohol or abuse drugs, you lot can crusade IUGR in your baby.

Practise all small babies have IUGR?

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

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

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

When the ultrasound exam is washed, your md volition measure out the size of your baby's head, abdomen and legs. These measurements volition tell you and your dr. if your babe is growing normally. Your doctor will likewise discover out the corporeality of amniotic fluid in your uterus. In some babies with growth restriction, the corporeality of amniotic fluid is low. If your infant is small, ultrasound exams may be washed more often than usual to check your babe's wellness.

Are in that location other tests I might take?

I test is fetal monitoring. It's a way to cheque your baby's health inside your womb. Straps are put over your uterus every bit you lie downwardly for about 30 minutes. You will hear your baby's heart trounce equally it is recorded. Your doctor tin can look at the heartbeat recording and run into if your baby's heartbeat is normal.

You might also accept an amniocentesis. A needle is put through your tum area into your uterus. A few teaspoons of amniotic fluid are withdrawn in the needle. The fluid is tested to see if information technology shows the cause of the IUGR. The amniotic fluid might show genetic bug or infection.

If my baby has IUGR, volition I have to requite nativity early?

Perhaps non. The time of delivery depends on how well your baby is doing. Sometimes, babies with IUGR keep on growing in the uterus. If your baby keeps gaining some weight, an early delivery (before the due date) may not exist needed. But if your baby is not growing at all or has other problems, your doc may decide that an early commitment could assistance. In this case, your doctor may want to induce labor. Your baby's heart charge per unit and movements will be closely watched to help y'all and your doctor brand this decision.

Will I need to accept a cesarean section?

If there are no signs of problems with your baby during labor, a vaginal commitment is OK. Some babies with IUGR are weak. The stress of labor and delivery may exist likewise much for a weak infant. If your infant has issues during labor, a cesarean section (also chosen a C section) may exist safer.

If I have some other baby, will that infant also have IUGR?

Mostly, no. IUGR usually doesn't occur in another pregnancy. But in some women, it does happen again. Women who take some other pregnancy affected past IUGR usually accept an illness, such as hypertension, that causes IUGR. Good control of illnesses before and during pregnancy lowers the risk of having another baby with IUGR.

Volition my baby need to stay in the hospital longer than usual?

Probably, especially if your baby was born early on. Babies who are modest at birth need to stay in the hospital until they can breathe and feed normally. Afterward your baby is born, the doctor will check your baby'south weight to make certain the baby is growing. More often than not, babies stay in the hospital until they weigh about 5 pounds.

Will my baby abound up to be normal in height?

Yes. Your baby will probably take hold of up in size and have a normal height by about two years of age.

What can I do to assistance my infant while I'm pregnant?

The best style to help your infant is to pay attention to your babe's movements. Make sure your baby is moving every day. A baby who moves around frequently is unremarkably salubrious. A babe who doesn't movement very often or who stops moving may be ill. If you notice your baby isn't moving as much, phone call your doc.

Some other way you tin help your baby is to become a lot of residual. Rest may help you experience amend. It may even help your baby grow. Endeavour to go eight hours of sleep (or more) each night. An hour or 2 of residuum in the afternoon is also expert for y'all. Your medico may even want yous to go to the infirmary to brand sure you rest. The hospital staff will continue a close eye on y'all and your baby.

Finally, if you fume, drink booze or use drugs, stop at present. These things tin can hurt your baby. This may exist all that is needed to improve your baby's health, as well as your ain.

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This information provides a general overview and may non apply to everyone. Talk to your family unit doctor to detect out if this information applies to you and to become more information on this subject.

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What if Your Baby Has No Heartbeat at 6 Weeks

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