Complications With Reduced Fetal Movement in 3rd Trimester
Q: I am 21years old. I am 7 months and 3 weeks pregnant. I experience severe abdominal pain, decreased fetal movement, blurry vision and a bad headache for almost a week now. What can I do?
– By Aliyu
Reply:
You need to see a doctor at the earliest and get thoroughly examined. Everything might be normal, but, with these symptoms, it’s essential to rule out a few complications at this stage.
Let us take your symptoms one by one and discuss the various possibilities of their cause.
Severe Abdomen Pain
At this stage of pregnancy, the uterus has to stretch a lot to accommodate the growing fetus. The ligaments and muscles around the uterus get pulled. This may lead to pain in abdomen area. Doctors call this ligament pain.
This pain is like an ache. It can be severe enough to confine the patient to limit activities or even take some pain killer. (Not all pain killers can be taken during pregnancy. Always inform your doctor before taking any medication.)
Such type of pain is more on sneezing, coughing or by movements like abruptly getting up from a chair.
Another common reason of abdominal pain at this stage is gas in the stomach. As the gravid uterus presses upon all structures around it. there is little space for the stomach and intestines. Digestion is usually affected. It gets slowed down.
Women frequently complains of acidity and gas production during these months.
Management of this type of pain includes changing your diet.
Recommended diet :
- Have a fibrous diet- plenty of fruits and vegetables.
- Drink plenty.
- Avoid fried stuff and heavy diets which are more difficult to digest.
Is the pain crampy? Such pains usually come from the uterus and can be serious. Also look for any of these signs:
- Spotting
- Any bleed from vagina
- Any fluid leakage
If any of the above sign is present, go to the hospital immediately. You require urgent care.
Headaches and Blurred Vision During Late Pregnancy
- Not having enough fluids may be a cause. Do you feel dizzy at times? If yes, take water whenever you feel so. Also get your blood pressure checked up.
- Headaches and blurred vision may point towards a serious complication of pregnancy called pre-eclampsia. In this condition, the blood pressure of the lady is high. Swelling or puffiness may be noticeable on foot or elsewhere. If present, this problem needs to be managed quickly by your doctor to assure a smooth term delivery.
- These symptoms may also be due to a condition called Gestational diabetes. This is a condition where a person becomes diabetic during the phase of pregnancy. The lady usually complains of extreme thirst all the time. The condition is easily treatable on early diagnosis.
We would suggest you to see your doctor and get yourself evaluated. It is essential to know the underlying cause of your symptoms at this stage.
You may require to get simple blood work done. Doctor will examine you, check your blood pressure and may order an ultrasound if required.
Take Care,
Buddy M.D.
I really appreciate your advice as it has really worked for me. Once again I want to say a big thanks to you and your entire family.
You are welcome. Please feel comfortable to ask if you have any more medical questions.
Hi Doctors! Please kindly help me with my problem. My main concern is my baby. I am 28 weeks pregnant and two days ago I ran and admitted to the hospital. My amniotic sac is teared and leaking. The doctor told me that I am in preterm labor. She said once the amniotic fluid leaks, it is a sign of early labor. She said my baby will be born prematurely and there is no even a little chance of survival even with the help of incubator. But doctor I don’t feel like I am going to labor, I do not feel any contraction, it’s just that my amniotic fluid is leaking. Doctor please help me. I am in fear of losing my baby. Why this is happening to me? What will happen if my water becomes empty? What will happen to my baby if leaking won’t stop but there is no sign of early labor? What can I do to save my baby? Please help me doctors. Have you encountered same situation like mine? Why my water breaks too early? Is there a chance that it will stop? Please help. What should I do?
If the amniotic sac continues to leak, you need to get operated and deliver the baby at the earliest.
Watch for leakage. If it continues, go to the hospital and get admitted. Don’t wait for labor pains.
Doctor, when I was discharged from the hospital, the leakage has stopped but last night in the middle of the night I have noticed that my bed is very wet. It must be the amniotic sac leaking. This morning, it stopped again, it seems to be stop and go. But I can still feel my baby moving in my womb. Doctor, what should I do? Do you think it’s worth waiting for another week and see what happens? If leaking continues, then should I go back to the hospital and induce an early labor? Do you think it’s a good idea? Please help. My Ob seems like she doesn’t know what to do to me. But if my baby is having difficulties inside my womb, I guess it’s better if he will give up I do not want him to suffer for long.
Did they check the baby, that is listening fetal heart beats or U/S?
My water broke on October 15, last Wednesday early in the morning when I was sitting down on my bed taking my breakfast. I thought it’s nothing. But when I was taking shower in the bathroom, I saw myself leaking out some kind of fluid like water. I immediately dressed up and went to the clinic of my OB, she conducted an ultrasound. There she found out that my amniotic sac is teared and leaking. She asked me to get admitted in the hospital so she can observe me and my baby but I do not have some money for that since I am on my own and I am a single mum. She gave some tablets instead. One is antibiotic and the other one is a tablet which will help the baby to stay attached to the placenta. Then, I went back home but after few more hours leaking continues and it got even worst. There, I decided to get admitted to the public hospital. I just stayed there for 24 hours. I had two injections of steroids for my baby’s lungs in case if he will be born early. They also injected some antibiotics in my dextrose and checked my fetal heart beat every now and then. I couldn’t stay there for long because it seems like the doctor doesn’t even care. She lined me up with those pregnant women who are in their due dates. She said if I will deliver my premature baby, he will die because they do not have incubators available there. It’s crazy because I do not feel any contractions, it’s just my amniotic sac leaking. They did not even let me to drink water or eat something. What do they want? To wait until I go to my active labor? Well, I think that’s not going to happen since I can’t find any sign unless they induce me to an early labor. That’s why I left and have bed rest at home instead. But doctor I am still leaking, it stop and go every now and then. But I can still feel my baby’s kicking. I think he is still doing well in there, but for how long? I asked my OB today to induce me to an early labor but she said she can not do it since the baby is still too small and there is no chance of survival. Doctor what should I do? Please help. I need your opinion.
Take complete bed rest. No heavy exercises, lifting weights or even jerky movements. Stay rested and relaxed. Continue with medications your doctor prescribed.
If you take rest, lie down as much as possible, it is possible that the leakage stops and the tear in the sac gets repaired.
However, if the leakage continues like this, doctors have to deliver the baby. If they are able to induce labor, it’s alright. Otherwise an elective cesarean is the only option.
The baby needs to be kept in an incubator, if delivered early.
Leakage seems to flow during the night while am asleep. That’s why I always wear sanitary pad before I go to sleep. But in the daytime, leaking stops. I am worrying about my baby, he is not that active anymore like he used to be. One thing which also keep me worry is about my genital warts inside my vagina. They said once the amniotic sac is teared, bacteria can easily get inside and infect the baby. Doctor do you think my genital warts will affect my baby since my water has broken already? I do not want my baby to be born abnormal. That’s why I am asking my doctor to induce me to an early labor via Cesarean Section (since I have this genital warts) but she does not want. She said we still have to wait while my baby still keep going. But I’m afraid he may get infected of my genital warts. Doctor please help me. I am really in need of help. Thank you.
Hi Doctors, I would like to ask you a specific question. I know this can be an embarrassing one that’s why I am thinking twice if I should ask my OB about this. My water broke when I was 27 weeks and 5 days pregnant, 10 days from now and I haven’t delivered my baby yet. I am hoping baby can still hold on for another month or longer so he would be mature enough then when he is born. So far, I can not feel like I am going into labor. I also can feel my baby’s movements every now and then. He seems to be okay in there though I am still leaking amniotic fluid. Some experienced moms told me that water can be replenish itself because most of the fluids come from my baby’s urine, so it’s likely that I will continue leaking until the day I give birth. What I should do is to be more careful not to bang my bump or squash my belly since there is not enough water acting as a cushion to protect my baby. My question is these past few days I felt like masturbating while lying on my bed. I haven’t had sex for more than 5 months. I’ve noticed that my pad has a white vaginal discharge and it’s sticky but there is no foul odor. I’m thinking is this still amniotic fluid or it’s my cum? or just a normal vaginal discharge? Because when my water broke, I saw that amniotic fluid is mainly like a normal water. But what’s coming out from my vagina now is a whitish sticky vaginal discharge. I’m afraid maybe I’ve got infected already due to early ruptured of my amniotic sac though I am taking antibiotics as what my OB ordered me. Doctor, do you think I got infected already? I am worried about my baby. And my other question is CAN MASTURBATING TRIGGER AN EARLY LABOR? My main goal is holding off my labor and let my baby grown more in my womb as possible. Do you think masturbating can do no good to me? Should I stop? Please answer my questions doctor. Thank you.
Masturbation, sex or sex arousal in any form can trigger uterine contraction and set you into premature labor. It is better to stop it. It can also accelerate leakage of amniotic fluid.
Just relax, and take as much bed rest as possible.
A little leakage of this fluid on a daily basis is not dangerous. It can be replenished on a daily basis by your body. However, if the leakage is substantial, it can be risky.
Usually, doctors advice complete bed rest to the mother. They try if the women can reach term pregnancy.
However, if the leakage is too much, and the fetus is in distress (checked by assessment of heart sounds), C- section may be done.
The sticky fluid you got on your pad may be the released cervical mucous plug. If it had been an infection, you should have got some redness or itching in the area.
The cervix, that is the mouth of the uterus, is closed throughout pregnancy by a thick mucous plug. This plug prevents all germs from entering into the gravid uterus upwards from the vaginal canal.
The plug is released few days before labor.
It is suggested that you keep an objective assessment of your baby. Visit your gyne for U/S or heart sounds auscultations.