Saturday, March 24, 2012

Causes and Clinical Features of Low Birth


1         CLASSIFICATION


1.       Preterm

2.       Small for date (SFD)

1.1.1       PRETERM


*      Babies those are who are born before the end of 37  Weeks of gestation and whose rate of intrauterine growth was normal. They are small only because labour began before the end of 37 weeks.

*      About 67 percent of low-birth weight babies are premature (1,500 grams) have the high risk for health problems.

1.1.2       SMALL FOR DATE


*      SFD are infants whose rate was slow (retarded) and whose were delivered at term or later These babies are called growth-restricted, small-for-gestational age or small-for-date.  These babies may be full term, but they are underweight.

2         CAUSES OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABY


l  Had a premature baby in a previous pregnancy

l  Are pregnant with twins, triplets or more

l  Have certain abnormalities of the uterus or cervix

2.1.1        Other factors that may contribute to premature birth and/or fetal growth restriction include:-


l  Birth defects: Babies with certain birth defects are more likely to be growth restricted because genetic conditions and structural abnormalities may limit normal development. Babies with birth defects also are more likely to be born prematurely

l  Chronic health problems in the mother: Maternal high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart, lung and kidney problems sometimes can reduce birth weight .

l   Smoking: Pregnant women who smoke cigarettes are nearly twice as likely to have a low-birth weight baby as women who do not smoke . Smoking slows fetal growth & increases the risk of premature delivery

l   Alcohol and illicit drugs: Alcohol and illicit drugs can limit fetal growth and can cause birth defects (2, 3). Some drugs, such as cocaine, also may increase the risk of premature delivery.

l  Infections in the mother: Certain infections, especially those involving the uterus, may increase the risk of preterm delivery

l  Infections in the fetus: Certain viral and parasitic infections, including cytomegalovirus, rubella, chickenpox and toxoplasmosis, can slow fetal growth and cause birth defects

l  Placental problems: Placental problems can reduce flow of blood and nutrients to the fetus, limiting growth. In some cases, a baby may need to be delivered early to prevent serious complications in mother and baby.

l  Inadequate maternal weight gain: Women who don’t gain enough weight during pregnancy increase their risk of having a low-birth weight baby . 

l  Socioeconomic factors: Low income and lack of education are associated with increased risk of having a low-birth weight baby, although the underlying reasons for this are not well understood. women under  18yrs and over 35 years of age also are at increased risk

3         CLINICAL FEATURE


l  Weight less than 2500gms.

l  Length less than 44cms.

l  Head and abdomen are large.

l  The skull bones are soft with wide sutures and posterior fontanelle.

l  Head circumference disproportionaly exceeds than the chest.

l  Pinnae of ears soft and flat.

l  Eyes are kept closed.

l  Skin is thin, red and shiny due to lack of subcutaneous fat.

l  Muscle tone poor.

l  Nail are not grown upto the finger tips.

l  Reflexes are not proper developed.

l  Plantar creases are not visible before 34 weeks.

l  The testicles are undescended

l  The labia minora are exposed because the labia majora are not in contect.

3.1       Medical problems are common in low-birth weight babies?


l  Thermoregulation :-As a result of a high body surface area–to–body weight ratio, decreased brown fat stores, and decreased glycogen supply, infants with extremely low birth weights (ELBWs) are particularly susceptible to heat loss immediately after birth. Hypothermia may result in hypoglycemia, apnea, and metabolic acidosis.

l  Hypoglycemia:-Fetal hypoglycemia (maintenance of normal blood glucose levels) is maintained during pregnancy by the mother via the placenta. Infants with extremely low birth weights have difficulty maintaining glucose levels within reference range after birth, when the maternal source of glucose has been lost. In addition, these infants are usually under increased stress compared with their term counterparts and have insufficient levels of glycogen stores. Preterm infants are generally considered hypoglycemic when plasma glucose levels are lower than 45 mg/dL.

l  Fluids and electrolytes:-maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance is essential for normal organ function. Disturbances may result in or exacerbate morbidities, such as patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and chronic lung disease, which is also known as bronchopulmonary dysplasis (BPD). Compared with full-term newborns, infants with extremely low birth weights have proportionally more fluid in the extracellular fluid compartment than the intracellular compartment, and a larger proportion of their body weight is attributable to water. During the first days after birth, diuresis may result in a 10-20% weight loss, which can be exacerbated by iatrogenic causes (eg, radiant warmers, phototherapy).

l  Nutrition:-Initiating and maintaining growth of these infants is a continuing challenge. Infants are commonly weighed daily, and body length and head circumference are usually measured weekly to track growth. The growth rate often lags because of complications such as pulmonary disease and sepsis. An additional contributing factor is inadequate caloric and protein  intake.  Concern that early feeding may be a risk factor for necrotizing  enterocolitis (NEC) often defers       initiation of enteral feeding, although  nutritional management of such infants is marked by a lack of uniformity of practice. Parenteral nutrition may provide the primary source of energy and protein in infants with extremely low birth weights in the first few weeks after  birth.

l  Hyperbilirubinemia:-Most infants with extremely low birth weights develop clinically significant hyperbilirubinemia (jaundice) that requires treatment. Hyperbilirubinemia develops as a result of increased RBC turnover and destruction in the context of an immature liver that has physiologically impaired conjugation and elimination of bilirubin. In addition, most preterm infants have reduced bowel motility due to inadequate oral intake, which delays elimination of bilirubin-containing meconium, coupled with increased enterohepatic circulation of conjugated bilirubin that enters the intestinal tract.

l  Apnea of prematurity:- is common in infants with extremely low birth weights and is defined as cessation of respiratory activity of more than 20 seconds, with or without bradycardia or cyanosis. These episodes are usually random and may be difficult to distinguish from the gestationally normal pattern of periodic breathing demonstrated in this age group. Apneic episodes are considered clinically significant if greater than 20 seconds in duration and/or accompanied by bradycardia or change in color or oxygenation. The incidence of AOP is inversely correlated with gestational age and weight, occurring in as many as 90% of infants who weigh less than 1000 g at birth.

l  Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS): This breathing problem is common in babies born before the 34th week of pregnancy. Babies with RDS lack a protein called surfactant that keeps small air sacs in the lungs from collapsing. Treatment with surfactant helps affected babies breathe more easily. Babies with RDS may need additional oxygen and mechanical breathing assistance to keep their lungs expanded.

l  Bleeding in the brain (called intraventricular hemorrhage or IVH): Bleeding in the brain occurs in some very low- birth weight premature babies, usually in the first three days of life. Brain bleeds usually are diagnosed with an ultrasound. Most brain bleeds are mild and resolve themselves with no or few lasting problems.

l  Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA):- PDA is a heart problem that is common in premature babies. Before birth, a large artery called the ductus arteriosus lets the blood bypass the baby’s nonfunctioning lungs. The ductus normally closes after birth so that blood can travel to the lungs and pick up oxygen.

l  Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC):- This potentially dangerous intestinal problem usually develops two to three weeks after birth. It can lead to feeding difficulties, abdominal swelling and other complications. Babies with NEC are treated with antibiotics and fed intravenously (through a vein) while the intestine heals. In some cases, surgery is necessary to remove damaged sections of intestine.

l  Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP):- ROP is an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye that can lead to vision loss. It occurs mainly in babies born before 32 weeks of pregnancy. Most cases heal themselves with little or no vision loss. In severe cases, the ophthalmologist .

No comments:

Post a Comment