Iugr is a serious pregnancy complication for fetal development

Prospective mothers certainly want the fetus in the womb to be healthy and grow well. But sometimes, not all pregnancies go well. According to the Family Doctor, Intra Uterine Growth Restrictionor IUGR is a risk of pregnancy complications that can have serious consequences for both mother and baby. This problem is characterized by an undeveloped fetus in the mother's stomach.

x

IUGR is a serious pregnancy complication

IUGR is a condition that causes the fetus to not develop properly in the womb.

Pregnancy is said to experience complications when the size and weight of the fetus is not as it should be. This is calculated based on gestational age.

That is, this occurs when the weight is below the 10th percentile for the average weight it should be at each gestational age. Underweight fetus can also be calledsmall for gestational age (SGA).

This means that the baby is smaller than normal babies at the same gestational age.

Stunted growth of the unborn baby can pose certain health risks during pregnancy, childbirth, and after the baby is born.

What causes IUGR?

IUGR (undeveloped fetus) has many triggers. A common cause of IUGR is an abnormality of the placenta that keeps it from functioning properly.

Positioning the placenta too low in the uterus (placenta previa) can also increase the risk of the fetus not developing.

An undeveloped fetus can also occur as a result of certain health problems for the mother, such as:

• Preeclampsia and hypertension during pregnancy
• Kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease, anemia, lung disease, and blood clotting disorders that occur before and during pregnancy.
• Fetal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, chromosomal abnormalities, anencephaly, and kidney defects.
• Smoking, drinking alcohol, and using drugs from before and during pregnancy.
• Diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases such as toxoplasmosis, rubella, and syphilis which can be transmitted to the fetus in the womb
• Malnutrition (lack or excess of nutrients) during pregnancy that can stunt growth.

IUGR is a pregnancy complication whose risk often increases in pregnant women with the following conditions:

• Are pregnant with twins or more.
• Using anticonvulsant drugs for neurological disorders.
• Too thin or underweight below the normal average weight.
• Living in highlands such as hilly or mountainous areas.

If you have the above factors, contact your doctor immediately.

What are the types of IUGR?

IUGR is a condition that is divided into two types. Each type reflects the conditions experienced by the fetus in the womb. The following is the division:

1. Symmetrical or primary IUGR

Symmetrical IUGR is a proportional restriction of fetal growth. This means that the overall body size of the fetus is small or below average, including the size of the organs in its body.

2. Asymmetric or secondary IUGR

Asymmetric IUGR is a condition that causes the fetus to develop unevenly. That is, the size of the head and brain of the fetus, for example, is normal according to the age of the womb, but other body parts are smaller than it should be.

This type of IUGR is quite difficult to determine early in pregnancy. This condition may only be diagnosed until the fetus is in the third trimester of pregnancy.

What are the signs and symptoms of an underdeveloped fetus?

A fetus is said to be underdeveloped due to IUGR when it weighs below the 10th percentile or less than 90 percent of normal fetal weight.

Other signs that can indicate a baby is not developing in the womb due to IUGR are:

1. The baby in the womb does not move

Normally, the mother will feel movement in her stomach in the second trimester. If the mother initially feels the baby is moving regularly, but the fetus suddenly doesn't move, there is a possibility that the baby has an IUGR.

2. Abnormal ultrasound results

An ultrasound or ultrasound will show the size, position and overall development of the baby. This method can also pinpoint birth defects so that it can help the doctor estimate the date of birth.

However, in the case of IUGR which indicated that the fetus was not developing, the first and second trimester ultrasound results showed no progress.

3. Decreased HCG levels

Please note that hCG (human gonadoptropin) is a hormone produced during pregnancy.

Levels of the hormone hCG will continue to rise from the age of 9 to 16 weeks. This indicates that the mother's pregnancy is developing normally.

However, when the fetus is not developing, the hCG level will be lower than it should be. If this continues, this could be a sign the fetus is not developing in the womb.

4. The baby's heart does not beat, so a sign that the fetus is not developing

From the procedure doppler flow, The baby's heartbeat will be heard around the 9th or 10th week when the baby changes from embryo to fetus.

If your heart rate is less audible on the first test and you can't hear another heartbeat on the next test, this is a sign the fetus is not developing.

However, there are other causes that can lead to this sign, namely the position of the baby or placement of the placenta.

In some cases, the baby may not completely stop developing, it's just that it develops too late.

Meanwhile, in the mother, the undeveloped fetus also has its own signs, namely:

• Fever
• Insensitive breasts
• Symptoms morning sickness reduced
• Amniotic discharge
• Stomach cramps

If the mother or the baby has a condition as previously mentioned, it is advisable to have her womb checked by a doctor immediately to get the right treatment related to IUGR.

What are the health risks to a fetus with IUGR?

A fetus that does not develop optimally while in the womb will be susceptible to health problems at birth.

This is especially true for fetuses who weigh below the 5 to 3 percentile. They are more likely to have more health complications in the short and long term after birth.

These various health problems are caused by the small size of the fetus so that it will receive less oxygen and nutrients while in the womb.

Furthermore, there are several risks of complications and other health problems that mothers and babies may experience if they experience IUGR, including:

• Give birth by caesarean section because the baby cannot withstand the pressure when the mother gives birth normally.
• Have low blood sugar levels which make them more susceptible to infection and developing jaundice at birth.
• Susceptible to meconium aspiration, where the fetus inhales its own feces in the uterus.
• Low infant Apgar score (Post-birth test to assess the physical condition of the newborn).
• The number of red blood cells in babies is very high.
• In the most severe cases, IUGR is a condition that can cause stillbirths.

Quoted from Kids Health, babies with IUGR are a category that is more likely to get the disease.

Various diseases such as cerebral palsy, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure as adults later.

How do doctors diagnose IUGR?

IUGR is a pregnancy complication that can be diagnosed in several ways. One of the simplest and most common methods is to measure the distance from the mother's fundus (top of the uterus) to the pubic bone.

Generally, the distance between the fundus and the mother's pubic bone will correspond to the development of the 20th week of gestation.

If the length is not suitable or shorter, this may indicate the fetus is not fully developed in the mother's womb.

Other procedures to diagnose signs of an underdeveloped fetus include:

1. Ultrasonography

IUGR is a condition that can be diagnosed by means of an ultrasound or ultrasound during a pregnancy check.

Ultrasound works by using sound waves to create a picture of the baby to allow the doctor to see the condition of the baby in the womb.

A pregnancy check can be used to measure the head, abdomen, fetal weight, and how much amniotic fluid is in the uterus.

2. Using Doppler

Doppler is a technique that uses sound waves to measure the amount and speed of blood flow through the blood vessels.

Doctors can use this test to check blood flow in the umbilical cord and blood vessels in the developing fetus's brain.

3. Examination of body weight

The doctor will routinely check and record the mother's weight at each uterine check.

If the mother-to-be is not gaining weight, it could indicate a growth problem. One of them is because the fetus is not fully developed.

4. Monitor the fetus

Because IUGR is a condition when the fetus is not developing, the mother needs to check it often. This test is done by placing electrodes that are quite sensitive on the mother's stomach.

The electrodes are attached by a lightweight elastic band attached to the monitor. The sensors on the electrodes will measure the speed and pattern of the baby's heartbeat to be displayed on a monitor.

5. Amniosis test or amniotic fluid test

An undeveloped fetus is a condition that can be diagnosed through an amniosis test.

The doctor will use a special instrument that is inserted into the uterus to take a sample of the fetal amniotic fluid.

This test can detect infections or some chromosomal abnormalities that can cause the fetus to not develop because of IUGR.

Small baby size is not necessarily due to IUGR

Babies born under 3 kilograms are not always sure of IUGR. About a third of babies born in the world with low weight do have IUGR, but the rest don't.

Similar to the weight of children and adults, babies born or still in the womb also have different sizes and weights.

Infants with low body weight are likely due to hereditary history. It is possible that his siblings or parents were also born underweight.

Usually, obstetricians measure the size of the baby during routine pregnancy checks using ultrasound.

The doctor will also measure the size of the lining of the pregnant woman's stomach in each trimester to check the growth and development of the fetus in the womb is healthy or not.

It is very important to calculate your HPHT (the first day of your last menstrual period) accurately so that your doctor can know for sure the current gestational age.

If you fail to mention the exact date, the measurement of the fetal weight and the estimated due date for delivery will be messy, which may also create complications.

How to treat a fetus with IUGR?

Treatment of the IUGR fetus is a further step that needs to be taken and depends on the condition and age of the pregnancy.

If the gestational age is 34 weeks or more, the doctor will generally recommend an early, induced delivery.

Meanwhile, if the gestational age is still less than 34 weeks, the doctor will continue to monitor it until the gestational age enters the 34th week or more.

The development of the fetus's body and the amount of amniotic fluid will also be monitored at the end of gestation.

In addition, some treatments that can be done to treat IUGR are:

1. Improve nutritional intake of pregnant women

Lack of nutrition in pregnant women is one of the causes of IUGR (underdeveloped fetus). Therefore, one of the mandatory things that need to be done during pregnancy is to eat highly nutritious foods.

Improving the diet and nutritional intake of pregnant women can increase weight gain and fetal growth.

2. Complete rest

Apart from improving nutritional intake, bed rest is another recommendation that doctors usually ask when the fetus experiences IUGR. This is because full rest can help improve blood circulation to the fetus.

Is the fetus at risk for another IUGR in the next pregnancy?

IUGR is a condition that does not always recur in every pregnancy, even though you have experienced it.

However, an underdeveloped fetus is a condition that can occur again if a pregnant woman has a disease such as hypertension or other health problems that can interfere with fetal development.

How to prevent IUGR in the fetus in the womb

The best way to prevent a fetus from contracting IUGR is to avoid the risk factors, as mentioned above.

The mother must also ensure that the fetus grows healthily in the next 9 months by following the doctor's advice.

Here are tips for maintaining a healthy pregnancy and womb to avoid this condition:

1. Eat nutritious foods

Eating a healthy and nutritious diet is an easy way to avoid IUGR in the fetus. Nutritious food prevents the fetus from becoming undernourished and thus keeps it from developing.

Various foods that pregnant women should eat to prevent IUGR are healthy fatty fish, pasteurized milk, green vegetables, nuts, and fruits.

2. Take prenatal vitamins

Taking prenatal vitamins like folic acid helps prevent brain and spinal cord problems in babies.

Apart from food, this additional folic acid can also be obtained from prenatal vitamins that are prescribed by a doctor.

Usually doctors will advise mothers to consume this vitamin at least 400 micrograms (mcg).

3. Exercise

Exercise is important for maintaining the health of the mother's body and the fetus in the womb.

Exercise can train the heart rate to increase circulation of blood and oxygen to the fetus and prevent the fetus from developing.

Pregnant women need to exercise regularly to prevent IUGR. It is enough to exercise 30 minutes a day with safe exercise options such as swimming, yoga, or taking a leisurely walk.

Apart from maintaining the health of the womb, exercise can also reduce stress during pregnancy and avoid complications due to an undeveloped fetus.