Most deliveries develop without problems. When all controls have been performed during pregnancy and pregnancy has developed normally, childbirth usually occurs without contingencies.
However, there are exceptional complications that may occur at the time of giving birth, which mostly derive in caesarean section. Let's see some of them:
No progression of labor:
It is one of the most common complications when giving birth along with fetal suffering. Labor can be diverted causing abnormal patterns in contractions, in dilation of the cervix or in the descent of the fetus through the birth canal.
There are factors that can influence such as the disproportion between the mother's pelvis and the baby's head, inducing labor with a very closed neck or an abnormal presentation of the baby.
The contractions become too weak and irregular stagnating the dilation of the cervix and the progression of labor. To solve this, oxytocin is usually administered venously, a synthetic hormone that stimulates labor contractions. You can also resort to maternal rest or change in the position of the mother. If the delivery still does not progress, it can be risky for the mother and the baby, so the use of forceps or caesarean section is used.
Fetal suffering:
The baby is monitored at all times during delivery. If worrying changes in the baby's heart rate are detected that confirm that he is not receiving the necessary oxygen, there is talk of loss of fetal well-being or fetal distress. Another sign that it could exist is the presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid, a sign that it suffers from a lack of oxygen. In this case, an emergency cesarean section is performed because the baby could aspirate the meconium and cause lung problems.
There are many reasons why fetal suffering can occur in the baby. Maternal fever during childbirth, compression of the vena cava due to the mother's posture, alterations in the placenta, short cord, infections, malformations, etc.
Some of the factors that may predispose to fetal suffering during childbirth are: maternal age (less than 20 and over 35 years), being the first birth or having had many previous births, hypertension, diabetes or maternal infection, a history of fetal death , prematurity or malformations.
In each case, the doctor will assess whether it is necessary to perform a cesarean section or if vaginal delivery can be continued with thorough monitoring.
Cord prolapse
It occurs when once the water bag has ruptured, the umbilical cord protrudes through the cervix before the baby's head. It is rare to happen, there is a case among 1,000, but it poses a serious risk.
The pressure of the head on the cord could compress it by interrupting the flow of oxygen the baby receives. On the monitor you can see how your heart rate drops. When there is a prolapse of the cord, it is necessary to perform an emergency C-section to prevent the baby from being injured due to lack of blood. Until the intervention occurs, the baby's head is pushed to avoid pressure on the cord.
There may also be a prolapse of the cord with the bag intact when the cord is in front of the head of the fetus but does not appear through the vagina. On the other hand, it is called hidden cord prolapse when it is not ahead, but next to the presentation of the baby.
The prolapse can occur whether the baby is placed on the buttocks or in a cephalic presentation, but this is the most dangerous because the pressure exerted by the head on the pelvis tends to be more intense.
Among the factors that predispose to cord prolapse are: prematurity and low weight, twin pregnancies, alteration in the presentation of the baby or alterations of the maternal pelvis.
These are three of the complications that may occur in childbirth, in the second part we will talk about others such as placental abruption, cord turns and shoulder dystocia.
