“Less blood supply to the fetus causes a restriction in its growth,” tells Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Dr Ruby Sehra of Progeny IVF Centre. ‘Restriction in fetal growth’ has many consequences for both the pregnant woman and the baby.
Fetal Growth Restriction is a condition in which fetal weight is below 10th percentile for gestational age (age of the pregnancy in weeks) which is determined by an ultrasound. It is also called Small-for Gestational Age (SGA) or Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR).
For the baby, their sucking power is not good, says Dr Sehra while talking to SheThePeople.TV. “Once they are born, they are not able to suck properly, so they are already growth retarded. After birth, they have to gain 30gms every day to sustain but they are not able to because their mouth muscles are weak, which hinders them to feed properly.”
So what causes pregnant women to develop this problem? Abnormalities in the placenta, High blood pressure, nutritional deficiency like lack of proteins in diet, medication for heart disease are some of the reasons that can lead to restriction in foetal growth.
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Currently, according to Sehra, every day she sees one or two cases where women have ‘restriction in foetal growth’ from a total of 20 cases.
She says, “The number of cases is definitely rising and right now I can say that about 5-10% face this issue. As most expectant mothers are working professionals they have high-stress levels and are not getting enough rest. Constant stress leads to a rise in the blood pressure which is not good for fetal health. It also happens because of lack of nutrition.”
It has been speculated that earlier only malnourished women faced ‘restriction in foetal growth’, but current scenario tells that even over-nourished women face it too, reported TOI. Fulfilling professional commitments often leave them no time for themselves even during pregnancy, it affects the growth of the foetus.
But there are ways to counter it and have a healthy pregnancy. Dr Sehra advises women to undergo regular checkups i.e., every two-three weeks so if there are symptoms of pregnancy induced hypertension or gestational diabetes it can be detected and treated on time and doesn’t affect the baby. Pregnant women should also find time for themselves, try to stay stress -and-strain-free, eat healthy and a protein rich diet, do yoga and go for walks every day.
Picture credit- JHM Blog
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