Intrauterine dystrophy of the fetus – causes and symptoms. How to treat fetal dystrophy?

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Intrauterine dystrophy of the fetus is a disorder of intrauterine development and the newborn is too small for the duration of pregnancy. The occurrence of this disorder is influenced by various factors (external and internal) that interfere with the function of the placenta and contribute to the malnutrition of the fetus.

What is intrauterine fetal dystrophy?

Intrauterine dystrophy of the fetus is a disorder of the intrauterine development of the fetus, due to which the newborn child has a low birth weight (it is too small for the duration of pregnancy). This disorder is caused by the action of various factors (internal and external), more or less known, which disturb the functioning of the placenta and thus contribute to the impairment of the nutrition of the fetus. The ailment affects about 3-10 percent. all pregnancies. We can distinguish between symmetrical and asymmetrical dystrophy. In the first case, the growth of the fetus is proportionally inhibited (the entire fetus is smaller). However, in the second case, the size of the head and the fetus are normal, while the circumference of the abdomen is reduced. Very often, a low birth weight child loses more weight than their peers, but this is a temporary phenomenon that should not be alarming. After the baby is born, water escapes from the baby’s body with urine, poop and through the lungs while breathing, and the baby itself eats little, because it does not need a lot of milk yet. So more weight is losing than gaining. However, in 2-3. After one day of life, the child should begin to gradually gain weight (after about 2 weeks, the weight returns to its original value).

Assessment of the growth of an infant suffering from intrauterine dystrophy is done with percentile grid. It is important that the child’s weight and height curve grows symmetrically upwards, not downwards. Measurements should be systematically recorded in the child’s health record book, thanks to which it is possible to monitor the child’s growth rate individually.

The causes of intrauterine dystrophy of the fetus

Low birth weight may occur as an isolated disorder or with concomitant malformations.

The causes of intrauterine dystrophy and prematurity are similar, they often overlap and can be divided into 3 groups:

1. poor socio-economic conditions, unfavorable factors of the work and living environment, living conditions related to the earnings of parents, as well as of a psychological nature, attitude to the current pregnancy;
2. maternal factors related to maternal health, burdening obstetric interview, unfavorable course of pregnancy and delivery, as well as genetic burden;
3. factors related to the fetus and placenta: multiple pregnancy, developmental disorders of the embryo and the fetus as a result of infections and genetically determined.

The number of children with low birth weight has shown an increasing tendency in recent years and in Poland it ranges from 5 to 11% of the total population of newborns, with a marked increase in highly industrialized regions. In addition, intrauterine growth restriction may be caused by:

1. alcohol abuse by a pregnant woman,
2. drug use,
3. maternal hypertension,
4. heart diseases of a pregnant woman,
5. mother malnutrition,
6. staying at high altitudes,
7. smoking cigarettes,
8. pre-eclampsia or eclampsia,
9. infections during pregnancy, for example rubella, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis and syphilis.

Symptoms of intrauterine dystrophy of the fetus

The most common symptoms of this ailment are:

1. a small amount of hair on the child’s head,
2. emaciation of a child who is losing weight,
3. agitation of the child and its increased activity,
4. baby’s dry, flaky and wrinkled skin,
5. poorly developed subcutaneous tissue,
6. umbilical cord and nails tinted with meconium,
7. no urination in the first hours of life,
8. rapid drying of the umbilical cord,
9. head length and circumference appropriate to the gestational age.

How to treat and prevent intrauterine dystrophy of the fetus?

Suspicion of intrauterine fetal dystrophy in a pregnant woman occurs when the woman’s uterus is too small. Then an ultrasound scan is performed to see if the assumptions are correct. It is sometimes necessary to broaden the diagnosis to identify possible genetic problems and infections. A woman with diagnosed intrauterine dystrophy should be under the care of a doctor from the beginning, as there is a risk of fetal death after 36 weeks of pregnancy. Pregnancy in such a woman is carefully monitored and includes, among others, determination of the biophysical profile of the fetus and counting its movements. In some patients, a Doppler vascular flow test is also performed. In order to prevent the disease, one should first of all avoid the risk factors: quit smoking, avoid alcohol and drugs, and have regular check-ups during pregnancy. In addition, a pregnant woman should:

1. take care of a varied diet,
2. avoid lying on your back,
3. take care of the right amount of rest,
4. avoid eating unwashed vegetables and fruits as well as raw meat and fish,
5. follow the doctor’s instructions,
6. avoid contact with sick people.

Parents of a baby with low birth weight usually expect doctors to provide specific information about its further development. It is very often impossible to determine (even by the best doctors). There is no one universal rule for such children, the most important thing is that the parents are of good cheer. It should be remembered that fetal internal dystrophy does not always mean problems in the future, as a very large number of children develop properly, attend school and graduate from college.

A child who sucks the breast well, wants to eat, and his weight is almost normal – he does not have to stay in the incubator and after about 2 weeks he is released home. The situation is different when the child’s weight leaves much to be desired, and in addition, it does not have the right amount of adipose tissue. Then it is necessary to hospitalize the baby in an incubator and sometimes include specialist tests.

You should follow frequent checkups prescribed by your doctor. At the beginning, the pediatrician wants to carefully observe the child’s growth and possibly refer them to specialists, e.g. a speech therapist or an ophthalmologist, even if there are no indications. It happens that only a specialized examination can detect certain abnormalities which, when diagnosed, treated and rehabilitated early, prevent the accumulation of problems.

How to feed a child with intrauterine dystrophy of the fetus?

Dystrophy means that the baby was malnourished during pregnancy and there is a risk of anemia. That is why many children receive vitamin and iron supplements right after birth. You should not ignore taking these measures, as anemia affects not only the child’s growth but also his mental development. Initially, your baby may need formula, although breastfeeding is of course more nutritious. As for solid products – do not introduce them to the child too early. In this matter, it is worth asking the doctor who is the child’s guardian for advice. A toddler’s diet containing non-dairy products should first of all be varied, thanks to which it is also more valuable. Parents should give their child a variety of products so that they can learn about the different tastes.

Intrauterine dystrophy of the fetus and vaccination

Parents of sick children often wonder if a low birth weight child should be vaccinated. After all, it is small and has poor resistance, so why put additional strain on it?

Nothing could be more wrong. A child should be vaccinated precisely because it is small and has impaired immunity, as such a situation can lead to infection and slow down growth. Pain occurring during injections is minimized by combined vaccinations, which have a form of anti-pertussis vaccine that is safe for the nervous system. Doctors also recommend additional vaccinations, e.g. against pneumococci.