After entering the second trimester of pregnancy, the mother will feel the activities of the baby in the stomach from time to time. This is usually referred to as fetal movement, which is also an important link between the baby and the mother. As a mother, it would be wise to learn more about fetal movement as not fetal movement is normal. In fact, you have to always be aware if you experience any abnormal movements.
When mothers first feel fetal movement in their belly, they tend to be happy and excited. This is also an important milestone during pregnancy. The initial movement of the baby is normally subtle and minor. Gradually, their kicking gets stronger and mothers will be able to feel the vitality of their baby. This results in the baby growing up healthy. However, mothers have to be aware that sometimes the kicking can be a signal of distress. If the baby has any of the following abnormal fetal movement, the mother must take it seriously and be vigilant.
Firstly, there may be a poor placental function. A possible symptom is when fetal movement occurs late and is relatively weak. There are quite a number of causes for this. One of which is due to the lack of oxygen. Pregnant women should try to eat more food that is rich in iron to prevent this.
Secondly, the umbilical cord around the neck of the fetus may be an issue when rapid fetal movement suddenly come to an abrupt stop. This could be due to the umbilical cord being twisted or knotted. A normal umbilical cord length is about 50cm. If it is too long, it can easily wound up around the neck or body of the fetus. As the baby is already able to swim and spin freely, getting entangled by the umbilical cord will cause disruption in blood flow, leading to fetal asphyxia. If mothers experience an abrupt stop of fetal movement, they should immediately consult a doctor.
Another problem that should be taken note of is placental separation. This happens when fetal movement is suddenly accelerated and pregnant women experience severe abdominal pain and massive vaginal bleeding. This is normally caused by a history of hypertension or external impacts. However, the amniotic fluid protection in the fetus can reduce the impact of external forces. Only if the mother experience severe physical shock, then will there be severe fetal movement, miscarriages or premature births. In addition, if the expectant mother is suffering from head trauma or fracture heavy bleeding conditions, it can also cause abnormal fetal movement to occur.
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