What is fetal bradycardia?
Fetal bradycardia refers to an abnormally slow heart rate in the fetus and is usually temporary. Symptoms of fetal bradycardia include the heart rate of the fetus under 110 years and the slowed fetal movement. The main cause of fetal bradycardia is drugs used during birth by a mother. These drugs include narcotic analgesics, synthetic hormones and drugs that are injected into the spinal cord epidural space to achieve pain relief.
Other causes of fetal bradycardia include maternal low blood pressure and umbilical cord compression. If the fetus does not have enough oxygen, it can cause fetal problems, leading to fetal bradycardia. When the mother lies on her back, the pressure is exerted on the main blood vessel known as the superior vena Cava. This can cut off fetal oxygen and lead to low heart rate. Many healthcare providers recommend that pregnant women avoid lying on their backs and agree to lying on their left when they are approaching the second trimester of pregnancy.
SometimesUmbilical compression and fetal bradycardia can become serious and even threatening life. In these cases, an emergency caesarean section may be indicated to restore oxygen to the child and increase the heart rate. Monitoring of the heart rate of the fetus is usually performed with an internal or outer monitor of the fetus. These monitors are routinely used as soon as the patient goes to work and can detect even the finest heart deviations.
If mothers' narcotics are the cause of fetal bradycardia, certain medicines can be given to the mother to face effects. These drugs often work rapidly to normalize the heart rate of the fetus, but sometimes they can cause side effects. Other causes of fetal bradycardia may include maternal health conditions such as lupus. This autoimmune condition can cause cardiac arrhythmias in the fetus and mother.
congenital pExtracts can also cause a slow heart rate in an emerging fetus. These include structural abnormalities and can often be detected by a medical diagnostic test known as an echocardiogram. This test uses sound waves or ultrasound to capture heart images in real time. The healthcare provider can determine whether the heart is structurally healthy by examining chambers and valves, and can also determine whether the heart is appropriately closed to support optimal circulation. Abnormal rhythms such as bradycardia and tachycardia can also be determined, which is an unusually high heart rate.