“It’s so painful. My contractions are too close together…something’s not right!” the woman in labor cries. But doctors dismiss her concerns. They leave her unattended for almost an hour.
When a nurse finally takes a look at the fetal heart monitor, she sees abnormal patterns. Frantically, she calls the doctor, and he orders an emergency C-section. It turns out that the baby suffered fetal hypoxia from a compressed umbilical cord. He didn’t get enough oxygen, and because of this, he develops cerebral palsy.
The mother is devastated. If only her concerns had been taken seriously, maybe her baby’s condition could have been prevented!
The story above is fictional. But it mirrors plenty of real cases. When healthcare providers fail to address conditions like fetal hypoxia, there can be serious, long-term consequences for the baby.
Fetal hypoxia is rare. Estimates show it only affects about 1-2% of pregnancies. But it’s still a major concern in obstetrics because of the dire consequences that can come from it.
In this article, we’ll discuss what fetal hypoxia is, what causes it, and when it might be preventable.
What is Fetal Hypoxia?
Fetal hypoxia is when a baby doesn’t get enough oxygen before or during birth. Oxygen is to us what fuel is to cars—without it, they can’t run. Babies get oxygen through the mother’s blood when they’re in the womb. But sometimes, things can go wrong.
The umbilical cord might get twisted or compressed, blocking the flow of oxygen. Other times, the placenta, which also supplies oxygen, might not work well. When this happens, the baby starts running low on oxygen, leading to fetal hypoxia.
If fetal hypoxia goes on too long, it can cause serious problems, like brain damage. Brain cells can die after just 3-5 minutes of oxygen deprivation.
The longer the baby goes without oxygen, the more serious the damage can be. Hypoxia can cause lifelong conditions like cerebral palsy and developmental delays.
Common Signs of Fetal Hypoxia
Doctors should know and recognize signs of oxygen deprivation so they can prevent long-term injuries. One of the most important signs is abnormal heart rate. If the heart rate is too fast, too slow, or irregular, it could mean the baby is in distress because they’re not getting enough oxygen.
During pregnancy and labor, common signs of fetal hypoxia include:
- Baby isn’t moving as much
- Fetus isn’t growing as expected
- There’s meconium (first stool) in the amniotic fluid
- Heart rate is too low, too high, or otherwise irregular
After birth, signs of oxygen deprivation include:
- Baby doesn’t cry or has a weak cry
- Acidosis (excess acid in the blood)
- Bluish skin
- Baby is floppy or makes weak movements
- Seizures
- Difficulty breathing
Sometimes the signs of fetal hypoxia don’t show up for weeks or even months. In these cases, parents might start to notice developmental delays as their baby grows. The baby may struggle to reach milestones like rolling over, sitting up, or crawling.
Other long-term signs include issues with muscle tone. The baby might be unusually stiff or floppy. Some children might also develop seizures or show signs of cerebral palsy, a condition that affects movement and coordination.
Causes of Fetal Hypoxia
Many different factors can affect a baby’s oxygen supply and cause fetal hypoxia. One common cause is problems with the umbilical cord.
As the baby moves through the birth canal, the cord can get compressed. It’s similar to a garden hose getting pinched, stopping the flow of water. In this case, the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the baby gets cut off.
Another cause is placenta issues. The placenta is the baby’s lifeline during pregnancy, providing oxygen and nutrients. If it detaches from the uterus too early or doesn’t work as it should, it can’t deliver enough oxygen to the baby.
Here are some additional conditions that could lead to fetal hypoxia:
- Labor takes too long, or contractions are too strong or too frequent
- Mother has preeclampsia, a dangerous blood pressure condition
- Mother doesn’t have enough red blood cells (anemia) so she can’t deliver enough oxygen to the baby
- Infections in the placenta or umbilical cord
Fetal Hypoxia Treatment
What can doctors do if a baby isn’t getting enough oxygen? Unfortunately, there’s no treatment to reverse brain or organ damage caused by lack of oxygen.
So, treatment for fetal hypoxia involves managing whatever is causing the oxygen supply to be cut off. After that, treatment involves management of the baby’s symptoms.
During pregnancy, doctors might monitor the baby closely with ultrasounds and fetal heart rate monitors. If they detect signs of hypoxia, they might deliver the baby early, often by C-section, to prevent further harm.
Once the baby is born, doctors should perform an APGAR test. This is a quick assessment done at 1 and 5 minutes after birth to evaluate the baby’s overall health. A baby with a low score might have fetal hypoxia.
If doctors determine the baby has been deprived of oxygen, they’ll provide special care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The care team will focus on stabilizing the baby’s condition, managing seizures if they occur, and providing nutrition and other supportive care.
Long-term, the child may require physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other interventions. They might need weekly or even daily therapy to help manage developmental delays or disabilities resulting from hypoxia.
Long-term Effects of Fetal Hypoxia
Fetal hypoxia can cause long-lasting effects, especially if doctors don’t intervene right away. Some possible long-term conditions are:
- Brain damage
- Cerebral palsy
- Heart problems
- Hearing and vision problems
- Seizure disorders
- Developmental delays
- Behavior issues
- Speech and language problems
- Learning disabilities
Whether or not a child will develop any long-term effects from oxygen deprivation isn’t easy to predict. It depends on a few factors, such as:
- How long the baby was deprived of oxygen
- How severe the lack of oxygen was
- Whether or not fetal hypoxia was diagnosed and managed quickly
Is Fetal Hypoxia Preventable?
There are steps you can take to reduce the risk of fetal hypoxia. For example, you should get regular checkups while pregnant.
That way, your doctor can monitor the baby’s health and catch any problems early. They should check for signs of complications with the placenta or umbilical cord that could affect oxygen flow.
You should also avoid toxic substances and manage any chronic conditions you may have.
In some cases, a child would have otherwise been born healthy but for the lack of medical intervention. But how will you know if fetal hypoxia was avoidable? Your doctor’s unlikely to say, “We made a mistake, and we’re sorry.”
A thorough review of your medical records could reveal what went wrong. It’s possible your medical team didn’t monitor your baby’s heart rate. Maybe they ignored signs of fetal hypoxia. If standard procedure wasn’t followed at some point, your care providers could be held liable for your child’s injuries.
If you suspect that fetal hypoxia might have been preventable, consider consulting a medical malpractice attorney. They can help you understand if there were any lapses in care, and identify any missed opportunities for intervention that could have changed the outcome.
We understand it may be difficult to add a lawsuit to your plate when you’re already going through so much. But if a doctor’s mistake injured your child, the best way to ensure their future is to hold the doctor responsible. Through a medical malpractice lawsuit, you could obtain compensation to pay for your child’s medical expenses throughout their lifetime.
Fetal Hypoxia FAQs
The difference between fetal distress and fetal hypoxia is that fetal distress describes a broad set of signs that a fetus isn’t coping well during labor. Meanwhile, fetal hypoxia refers to a lack of oxygen reaching the fetus.
These terms are related, but not quite the same. Fetal distress can include fetal hypoxia, or it may not.
Yes, a fetus can survive hypoxia. But the outcome depends on the severity, duration, and timing of the hypoxia. For example, if oxygen is restricted only briefly, a baby could recover without any long-term effects.
In most cases where a fetus doesn’t survive hypoxia, it’s because the lack of oxygen was severe or prolonged. Prolonged hypoxia can lead to serious complications like brain damage, developmental delays, or even stillbirth if doctors fail to act quickly. But delivering the baby right away via C-section can reduce these risks.
The symptoms of hypoxia in pregnancy are often subtle. Some of them can only be detected by your doctor. But one symptom of hypoxia you might notice is your baby isn’t moving as much. That could mean they’re not getting enough oxygen. Other signs include:
– There’s meconium (baby’s first stool) in the amniotic fluid.
– Blood tests on the fetus show acidosis (imbalance in the body’s pH levels)
– The fetus isn’t growing the way they should
– Abnormal heart rate