increased fetal movement sign of distress?

Fetal Distress During Pregnancy and Labor
fetal distress during pregnancy
A quick delivery is usually in order to relieve your baby's distress.
In This Article

What is fetal distress?
What causes fetal distress?
What are the signs of fetal distress?
Who is most at risk for fetal distress?
What can you do if your baby is in distress?
Is there anything you can do to prevent fetal distress?

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

Here's what you need to know about this relatively rare complication, including tips to reduce your risk.
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What is fetal distress?

Fetal distress (what doctors prefer to call "nonreassuring fetal status") is when your practitioner is concerned that your baby's oxygen supply may be compromised in utero before or during labor. Oxygen deprivation can result in decreased fetal heart rate 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 restriction (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 too quickly or lasting too 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 eventually puts pressure on your major blood vessels and cuts off oxygen to your baby

What are the signs of fetal distress?

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

Your baby has a decreased heart rate
Your baby has a different (on nonexistent) pattern of fetal movement after week 28
Your water breaks and is greenish-brown (that | s baby | s first poop; some babies who pass this meconium while still in the uterus may be in distress)

The only way to know for sure that your baby | s in fetal distress is with a continuous fetal monitor, performing a nonstress test or with an ultrasound and performing a biophysical profile.
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Who is most at risk for fetal distress?

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

IUGR
Too much or too little amniotic fluid
Preeclampsia
Uncontrolled diabetes
Placental abruption
Umbilical cord problems
A long or complicated labor
An overdue pregnancy

What can you do if your baby is in distress?

If you've noticed a change in fetal activity or your kick count is off and you're concerned, call your practitioner right away. Also reach out immediately if your water has broken and is greenish-brown, which means it | s stained with meconium.

When you arrive at your practitioner's office or the hospital, you | ll get placed on a fetal monitor to check whether your baby is actually showing signs of distress. You may also receive supplemental oxygen to help oxygenate your blood, as well as IV fluids, which should help regulate your baby's heart rate. (These same steps will be taken if your doctor 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. You may also be taken off of contraction-inducing drugs (oxytocin) or given a medication to slow contractions.

If these techniques don't work, the best treatment is a quick delivery, often 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 risk 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 | s heart rate, measure your belly and ask you about your baby | s movements to ensure everything | s going as expected. A baby with a strong, stable heartbeat with appropriate movements is doing well.