Yesterday we commented that most deliveries develop without problems, however, they can arise unexpected complications.
We already talked in detail about three problems: when childbirth does not progress properly, when there is fetal distress (two of the most common complications) and cord prolapse.
Let's see what other exceptional situations may arise:
Lanyards
30% of children are born with laces of cord. It is a frequent situation that in most cases does not represent a risk for the baby.
Most often, the baby has a circular cord, but it can be up to four depending on its length and only on some occasions can it be detected by ultrasound. Almost always, the doctor notices when the baby's head appears.
The cord may be placed around the neck, arm, chest or leg of the baby and in certain cases the doctor may perform a maneuver to slide the cord or cut it if it is too tight.
However, with the pressure of labor contractions and when descending through the birth canal, the cord can be tightened by decreasing the blood flow between the mother and the baby, causing fetal distress. If the monitor shows changes in the heart rhythm or the cord turns prevent the baby from descending, a cesarean section should be performed.
Shoulder dystocia
It is a rare complication in cephalic presentations, that is, when the baby is placed with the head down. It occurs when the head appears outside but the baby's shoulder is stuck against the bone of the mother's pelvis.
The doctor will attempt to unclog the shoulder by means of obstetric maneuvers to prevent injury to the nerves of the baby's shoulder, neck or a fractured clavicle. Efforts will be made to continue vaginal delivery, but if the attempt fails and the risk of suffocation suffers, the caesarean section is used.
Shoulder dystocia cannot always be prevented, it is a complication that arises at the time of giving birth, but there are risk factors such as: large babies, gestational diabetes, mother's obesity, small pelvis, prolonged pregnancy, excessive weight gain during pregnancy or have a history of shoulder dystocia.
Placental abruption
It is a serious complication that occurs when the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus before the baby leaves. The detachment can be partial or total and can happen at any time during pregnancy or at the time of delivery.
When the placenta detaches from the uterus during childbirth, contractions can facilitate detachment and cause bleeding. When the placenta detaches, the supply of blood flow and oxygen to the baby is interrupted. The doctor will assess the risk depending on the degree of detachment, so you may decide to have a C-section.
The risk factors that may predispose it are; mother's hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, tobacco, drug abuse, alcohol and the mother's advanced age.
Embolism or embolism of amniotic fluid
It is a very rare complication (1 x 30,000 cases) and lethal, with a mortality rate in 80 percent of cases. It is one of the most frequent causes of obstetric death.
It occurs, usually in complicated births, when the obstruction of a pulmonary artery of the mother by amniotic fluid occurs.
An embolus formed by amniotic fluid enters the maternal blood circulation and goes to the lungs, obstructing an artery, which can cause the mother's heart rhythm to change, respiratory failure, collapse or cardiac arrest.
If it occurs, the doctor must give birth to the baby urgently through a C-section and care for the mother.
Some of the risk factors include: advanced maternal age, intense uterine dynamics, prolonged pregnancies and insertion of monitoring materials.
