Featured Question
Should parents be concerned if their child has been diagnosed with meconium aspiration syndrome?
Meconium aspiration syndrome… (MAS) is a condition where a newborn breathes meconium (newborn’s first stools – thick, sticky, greenish-black color) and amniotic fluid into the lungs before, during, or after
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Featured Question
What are the risk factors for a child developing cerebral palsy?
Just as there are particular types of brain damage that cause cerebral palsy…, there are also certain medical conditions or events that can happen during pregnancy and delivery that
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Featured Question
What impact does Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, or oxygen deprivation, have on a newborn baby?
…Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy is a condition in which the brain does not receive enough oxygen, which can occur during a difficult labor and delivery. The consequences can be severe and
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Featured Question
Can a mother’s obstetric hemorrhage result in injury to the baby?
…In 0.5% of all labors, mothers experience antepartum hemorrhage, otherwise known as excessive vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. There are two main causes of the complication: placental previa which accounts for 31%
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Featured Question
What can doctors do to prevent obstetric hemorrhage in mothers?
…An obstetric hemorrhage is when a woman bleeds heavily during pregnancy, labor, or post-delivery. The bleeding is typically vaginal, but in some very rare cases there can be internal bleeding directly
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Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) is a condition where a newborn breathes meconium (newborn’s first stools – thick, sticky, greenish-black color) and amniotic fluid into the lungs before, during, or after delivery. When a baby is under stress or not receiving enough oxygen or blood, the baby can pass feces while still in the uterus.
Fetal distress…
Once this happens,
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Just as there are particular types of brain damage that cause cerebral palsy…, there are also certain medical conditions or events that can happen during pregnancy and delivery that will increase a baby’s risk of being born with cerebral palsy.
Research scientists have examined thousands of expectant mothers, followed them through childbirth, and monitored their children’s early neurological development
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…Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy is a condition in which the brain does not receive enough oxygen, which can occur during a difficult labor and delivery. The consequences can be severe and can include life-long complications.
When a baby is deprived of oxygen during labor and delivery for over a five-minute period of time they can suffer from many types of long-term
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In 0.5% of all labors, mothers experience antepartum hemorrhage, otherwise known as excessive vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. There are two main causes of the complication: placental previa which accounts for 31% of obstetric hemorrhages and placenta abruption which accounts for 22%.
Complications associated with the placenta…
Placental previa is a condition in which the placenta is attached too close to the
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An obstetric hemorrhage is when a woman bleeds heavily during pregnancy, labor, or post-delivery. The bleeding is typically vaginal, but in some very rare cases there can be internal bleeding directly into the abdominal cavity.
Types of obstetrical hemorrhage
There are two types of obstetrical hemorrhage: antepartum hemorrhage and postpartum hemorrhage.
Antepartum hemorrhage…
An antepartum hemorrhage refers to bleeding in early
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A uterine rupture is a tear in the wall of the uterus. Accounting for ninety percent of all cases, uterine rupture is most common among mothers who have had a previous cesarean section.
Scar tissue…
During contractions the extra stress can cause the previous incision scar tissue to expand and stretch, and can eventually stretch thin enough to give way. However,
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Inducing labor can not only pose a threat to the mother, but to the baby as well.
There are various methods of inducing labor, the most common being the use of Pitocin, a synthetic oxytocin that is delivered through an IV to help speed up labor. It works by beginning or enhancing uterine contractions
While Pitocin aids in speeding up…
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…If labor is slow to progress, a doctor may suggest using the drug Pitocin to induce contractions. When given to a woman whose baby is being slow to make an entrance, the drug can speed things along. However, there can be adverse effects as well if the drug is improperly used or overused.
Pitocin is a synthetic form of a hormone
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Forceps are an instrument that is sometimes used in childbirth if it is a difficult delivery. When a labor becomes delayed or a baby is stuck in the birth canal and is starting to show signs of distress, a doctor may opt for a cesarean section or to use forceps.
Evacuating the child…gently…
Looking like a large set of tongs, the
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Cerebral palsy can be caused be lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain during labor and delivery. When a child is deprived of oxygen before, during or after birth, they can face a lifetime of complications, including cerebral palsy.
Determining the overall health of the child…
When a mother arrives at the hospital to deliver her baby, she should be
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There are many factors that can lead to the diagnosis of cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is caused by a brain abnormality or injury that usually occurs during pregnancy or a botched labor and delivery. There are several factors that can lead to problems with brain development.
Problems during labor and delivery:…
Lack of oxygen to the baby during labor and delivery
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…Umbilical cord compression is a problem that can occur during labor and delivery involving the cord being under pressure, which causes the baby to receive a reduced amount of blood and nutrients. If the umbilical cord gets stretched and compressed during labor, it can lead to a decrease of blood to the baby, which results in a drop of the
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The benefits of fetal monitoring are limited by human error. Clinicians often make mistakes in their interpretation of fetal monitoring strips. In addition, any dangerous deviations in heart rate must be diagnosed in a timely manner in order to prevent dangerous complications.
Reading fetal monitoring strips…
It is important that clinicians have proper education and training to interpret fetal monitoring
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Some children show signs of cerebral palsy soon after birth, while others can take years to display symptoms. Sometimes, doctors may not be able to make a diagnosis… until the child is 4-5 years of age. In evaluating a child for CP, doctors will review the child’s medical history, check the child’s motor skills, and look for characteristic symptoms such
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Cerebral Palsy (CP) is caused by abnormalities or injuries of the brain that may develop in utero, during delivery or immediately following birth. Rather than one particular cause for this life-changing medical complication, it is important to understand that the reasons for the development of CP may derive from a one or more of the following contributing factors.
Hypoxia during …
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Cephalohematoma (photos…) is bleeding under the baby’s scalp, causing a bruise. This can occur as a result of pressure exerted on the baby’s head during delivery. The swollen and bruised area is usually on one side of the top of the baby’s head. There are usually no long-term complications or problems. Within a week or two, the blood
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