Intrauterine asphyxia is a problem that can occur during pregnancy and labor. Intrauterine asphyxia is mainly caused by insufficient oxygen in the mother's uterus or respiratory system disorders in the baby, leading to difficulty breathing and ultimately suffocation. So how long does it take for the fetus to suffocate?
The duration of fetal asphyxia is not only related to the duration, but also to the oxygen content in the mother's body and her physical condition. In some cases, if the fetus is deprived of oxygen for five hours, it will suffocate and die, while in others, it will only occur after about ten hours of hypoxia.
Mothers with intrauterine asphyxia can detect abnormalities through a symptom, such as fetal movement. If the fetus is normal, the fetal movement should be at least 3 to 5 times per hour. If the mother finds a significant decrease in fetal movement, less than 20 times within 24 hours, and there is no sign of recovery, she should be alert to intrauterine hypoxia and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Secondly, the color of the amniotic fluid can be observed to determine if the fetus is experiencing hypoxia. In most cases, water breakthrough occurs before labor. If the expectant mother discovers that the amniotic fluid flowing out after water breakthrough is cloudy and dark green in color, there is a risk of asphyxia and hypoxia for the fetus in the uterus. This color of amniotic fluid is caused by the contamination of amniotic fluid by feces discharged from the baby after severe hypoxia. Therefore, expectant mothers should quickly rush to the hospital to terminate the pregnancy as soon as possible.
