What Happens When Baby Heart Stops in Womb

Fetal Distress During Pregnancy and Labor

Medically Reviewed by Andrei Rebarber, M.D.

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on November 16, 2020

A quick delivery is usually in order to relieve your baby's distress.

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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.

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.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

• What to Expect When You're Expecting, 5th edition, Heidi Murkoff.
• WhatToExpect.com, Labor and Delivery Procedures: Electronic Fetal Monitoring, May 2020.
• WhatToExpect.com, Newborn and Baby Poop, August 2020.
• WhatToExpect.com, What Really Happens During Labor, March 2019.
• WhatToExpect.com, Having a Vaginal Birth With Twins, March 2019.
• WhatToExpect.com, Sleep During Pregnancy, May 2019.
• WhatToExpect.com, Placental Abruption During Pregnancy: Signs and Treatment, November 2018.
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring During Labor, July 2020.
• Merck Manual, Fetal Distress, January 2020.
• National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Inappropriate Use of the Terms Fetal Distress and Birth Asphyxia, December 2005
• Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Should Pregnant Women Avoid Sleeping on Their Backs?, July 2018.
• Vaccine, Non-reassuring Fetal Status: Case Definition & Guidelines for Data Collection, Analysis, and Presentation of Immunization Safety Data, December 2016.

What Happens When Baby Heart Stops in Womb

Source: https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-health/complications/fetal-distress.aspx

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