Green amniotic fluid during childbirth causes. Green water during childbirth - causes and consequences for the baby
The discharge of water normally occurs during the 1st period of labor with the opening of the cervix to 4-5 fingers, almost before the start of the period of expulsion of the fetus.
Green water during childbirth occurs in about 30% of cases, and is one of the additional symptoms that the doctor focuses on when assessing the condition of the newborn (note - not the main symptom!).
Sometimes the amniotic fluid is poured out before the onset of labor or at the very beginning of labor. In rare cases, the bladder does not open at all and the baby can be born with it (popularly they call it - to be born in a shirt, if the baby survives during such a birth - yes, he is very lucky, because birth with an amnion is very dangerous and often accompanied by detachment placenta).
Why are there green waters during childbirth?
If you are at home and you have a prenatal rupture of water, you need to definitely pay attention to 5 things: amount, color, smell, consistency and the presence of impurities. You will be asked about this upon admission to the hospital.
Normally, the waters are transparent, have a slight admixture of whitish flakes, and do not smell of anything (a particularly sensitive nose will only catch a slightly sweet smell, which is almost imperceptible and not unpleasant).
If the green waters have broken, do not panic, this happens to every third woman in labor and does not mean mandatory problems with the baby.
If green amniotic fluid leaves, there is always only one reason - the baby's stool gives the waters a green color. Simply put, your baby pooped inside you before he was born. But why this happened is another story.
In most cases, the reason why there are green waters and the baby is prematurely released from the contents of the intestine is hypoxia. Even a short-term disturbance of blood flow in the placenta and umbilical cord is enough for involuntary defecation to occur. At the same time, blood flow can be restored in the future, and despite the fact that the child was born in green waters, he remains completely healthy.
Since the poor condition of the placenta predisposes to hypoxia, green amniotic fluid is more common in post-term pregnancy, in prolonged childbirth, in the presence of aging of the placenta due to the fact that the mother was sick with infectious diseases.
Another reason why the amniotic fluid is green may be a reaction nervous system with intestinal stimulation for birth stress, severe compression of the head in the birth canal of the mother. That is - the child in this case does not suffer from hypoxia at all.
In each case, only the doctor who takes delivery knows exactly what the green waters of the woman in labor mean, and if they have gone away at home or you heard it already in the maternity hospital, do not hesitate to ask. Doctors assess the child's condition comprehensively, and they can tell you what led to such staining of the amniotic fluid, hypoxia, or just your baby was hard.
The statements that sometimes the cause may be food or some kind of severe hereditary pathology should not be taken seriously. Just remember that, by and large, in most cases, green water during childbirth does not talk about anything terrible.
Green water during childbirth, consequences
In most cases, if green amniotic fluid leaves, there are no consequences for the mother and child. However, it is worth remembering that if the waters are green, this means that they contain a child's stool.
If the green waters have broken, the baby may be experiencing hypoxia, and of course, it is important for you to get to the hospital as soon as possible if this happened at home.
The fetus reacts to hypoxia and asphyxia by attempting to inhale prematurely, and it is good if it turns out that the child swallowed green waters, and did not aspirate them. Aspiration (inhalation) of meconium water by the fetus and newborn leads to the development of severe aspiration pneumonia, therefore, such a course of events should be prevented.
In the maternity hospital, if a woman has green water during childbirth, she is sure to do CTG, listen to the fetal heartbeat in order to diagnose hypoxia in a timely manner. If the baby really suffers, measures are taken to end the birth as soon as possible. And delaying time at home after the water breaks, you risk the health of the child.
We met on the network recommendations to sit at home for a day and wait for contractions if the waters have receded. This is very harmful and dangerous advice, with an anhydrous period of 6 hours, the question arises that the baby has a risk of intrauterine infection and there will be a record in the discharge of the newborn - the risk of IUI. And here's the advice - wait a day until it starts ...
If the waters have broken (any), even if there are no contractions, you must go to the hospital immediately!
Sometimes expectant mothers experience green water during childbirth. Most women in labor at the sight of an opaque liquid immediately begin to panic. You should not do this, because panic can only aggravate the process of the birth of a baby.
Table big diagram
baby inside measurements
pain observation development
pregnant mother drinking
It is the discharge of amniotic fluid that is a sign of the upcoming birth of the baby. Sometimes the fluid comes out on its own, but in some cases, the amniotic sac has to be pierced. At this point, doctors discover an unusual condition of the amniotic fluid.
Usually a woman pours clear water. But, if there is any violation, then their color changes. Let's take a closer look at why a woman sometimes has green water during childbirth and how dangerous it is for her and the baby.
The waters have broken
Reasons for this problem
A good doctor always talks not only about the consequences, but also about the reasons why green waters appear during childbirth. For modern obstetric practice, such phenomena are not uncommon, so experts are beginning to talk about an alarming trend. But don't panic if this happened to you.
First you need to find out why you have green water during childbirth. The reasons for their occurrence are different, but they are far from always dangerous to health. By the way, doctors have not yet studied this phenomenon to the end, so it is not always possible to reliably find out why women have disturbing green waters during childbirth. There are the following reasons:
- the appearance of the danger of hypoxia due to insufficient oxygen in the womb;
- the anus of the baby begins to shrink, so the original feces are released, which colors the water;
- amniotic fluid may change color when the gestational age has exceeded the norm, and the placenta ages;
- pathology can develop when a woman suffered from a sexual or cold infection during pregnancy, inflammation of the bladder, bronchitis and SARS can cause infection of the intrauterine fluid;
- pathology manifests itself due to genetic abnormalities during the development of the baby, however, these violations occur quite rarely;
- sometimes the phenomenon is observed due to the stress that the baby suffered, the tiny child is very susceptible, therefore it can excrete feces, which will turn the water greenish;
- another reason for this problem may be the nutrition of the expectant mother, the color changes if she drank apple juice or ate fresh peas the day before, keep in mind that these are just medical assumptions, but they should also be taken into account.
What actions need to be taken
If your water breaks green during childbirth, call your doctor right away. It is necessary to act immediately, but do not panic, because stress and improper actions can cause oxygen starvation of the child. This will cause serious harm to the baby. Also learn how to do .
When a woman has green waters during childbirth, the doctor must definitely clear the airways as soon as the baby's head appears. When the phenomenon happened already during strong contractions, there is no need to worry. Usually in this case, a completely healthy baby is born.
In such situations, the doctor necessarily makes a CTG for a woman, listens to the fetal heartbeat in order to notice possible hypoxia in time. When a child suffers, obstetricians take all measures to end the birth process as soon as possible. The most important thing is not to delay when, during childbirth, at the very beginning, your green water broke.
In no case should you sit at home and wait for a contraction, as there is a risk of intrauterine infection. We urgently need to call the car and go to the hospital.
During pregnancy, it is advisable to find photos of green waters on Internet sites so that you do not make a mistake during childbirth. You will know exactly what they look like, and in which case you need to sound the alarm. When the amniotic fluid is poured out, you should try to remember its smell, approximate volume and time of outflow. This information will need to be reported to the obstetrician who will receive you at the maternity hospital.
Start of labor
If you were planning a home birth, but the green or brown waters have broken, you will need to seek help from medical workers. When the amniotic fluid changes its color, but the birth process does not begin for a long time, most often the doctor decides on a caesarean section.
What are the consequences of the problem
First of all, when you have a green birth during childbirth, you need to think about the consequences for the child, which can be quite serious. The fetus constantly interacts with the amniotic fluid for all 9 months. During the first months, he absorbs it through the body, and at the end of pregnancy swallows it with his mouth.
Before birth, the baby pushes fluid out of the mouth, so it no longer enters the lungs. However, if the consequence of the green waters that appeared during childbirth is hypoxia, the baby can swallow the infected fluid. This will affect his health and well-being.
The emergence of green waters
When your baby swallows green amniotic fluid during childbirth, you need to urgently clean up the respiratory causes. However, due to the content of meconium in the liquid, ventilation problems can occur, so the child simply cannot breathe on his own. In this case, immediately after the birth of the baby's head, the doctor stops the efforts to clear the airways. Thus, when you have green waters during childbirth, the baby may develop hypoxia - a lack of oxygen. The phenomenon can provoke the following consequences:
- muscle hypertonicity;
- constant causeless regurgitation;
- anxiety, sleep disturbance;
- disorders and delays in the development of the child.
Do not immediately panic, because it is not a fact that your baby will suffer from the above factors. In many cases, children develop fully and do not experience any complications and abnormalities.
But, even if the birth process went naturally, and the baby was born healthy, you need to closely monitor him during the first months of life. Mom needs to do the following.
- Urgently show the baby to a neurologist;
- Pass all scheduled inspections without exception.
: Borovikova Olga
gynecologist, ultrasound doctor, geneticist
Amniotic fluid performs the most important functions to ensure the life of the baby in the womb. By its color, composition, quantity, the nature of the course of pregnancy and the condition of the fetus are judged. Green waters during childbirth are considered dangerous, as this indicates a threat to the health of the child.
General concepts
Amniotic fluid serves as a natural environment for the developing fetus. The mother's body maintains a stable temperature and pressure, absorbs noise from the outside, absorbs shocks, thereby preventing squeezing of the umbilical cord. By systematically swallowing small portions of water, the baby receives nutrients.
Immunoglobulins in the amnion secretion protect the child from infection by pathogenic microorganisms. The liquid consists of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, hormones, vitamins, trace elements, enzymes and waste products of the fetus are also determined in it. In secret, traces of epidermal cells, fluffy hairs and flakes of original lubricant are found.
On average, 20-30% of women have green waters. In the normal course of pregnancy, the color of the amniotic fluid is usually clear or slightly hazy. Green waters at birth are not the norm and mean, although not always, that there may be deviations in the development of the child or the health of the woman.
What do green waters say during childbirth:
- the fetus experiences suffering in the womb, oxygen starvation;
- existed in the past inflammatory process in the vagina, uterus or amniotic fluid;
- pregnancy lasts 40-41 or more weeks.
A comparative biochemical analysis of the secretion of the membranes and the blood of a woman revealed that pathological changes in the mother's body are first displayed in water indicators and only then in the blood. But, in more, amniotic fluid characterizes the condition of the child. Therefore, green amniotic fluid is of great diagnostic value for determining the health of the baby as a whole.
The reasons
The causes of green amniotic fluid during childbirth are not fully understood. The increase in cases of discoloration of the amniotic fluid is forcing scientists to pay attention to the situation. So, there is a hypothesis that greenish waters arise due to blood decay products during an episode of intrauterine bleeding. But, she did not find wide confirmation among doctors.
Why do green waters leave during childbirth:
- meconium passed in the womb;
- the woman had an infection during pregnancy;
- certain foods on the eve of childbirth changed the color of the secret;
- the child has a genetic disease.
In most cases, if green waters break during childbirth, this means that there was a bowel movement. This happens when a baby experiences oxygen starvation in the womb or during childbirth. The condition leads to reflex contraction of the intestines and relaxation of the anal sphincter. Meconium, penetrating into the amniotic fluid, pollutes it, from which there are green waters in women.
Oxygen starvation occurs during a post-term pregnancy, when the placenta has already become obsolete and cannot cope with its functions. It happens that the child's place is aging ahead of time, then we are talking about fetoplacental insufficiency with the risk of fetal hypoxia, which is also the cause of green waters.
Sexual infections, inflammation of the urinary tract, influenza, SARS, etc., affect the color of the amniotic fluid. Pathologies always affect the state of the placenta.
In addition to structural transformations, a children's place often changes color. So, after childbirth, women leave a green afterbirth, a dark saturated color. This situation leads to bed aging, and hence to possible fetal hypoxia. Therefore, the green placenta is considered as a sign, and inflammation during pregnancy as a provoking factor in the lack of oxygen later.
Hypoxia can develop as a result diabetes, preeclampsia or hypertension in pregnancy, oligohydramnios, umbilical cord anomalies. These reasons just have a consequence - meconium water, that is, contaminated with meconium. Certain genetic pathologies of the fetus can stain the amniotic fluid greenish, such as hemolytic disease. Gynecologists are skeptical about the information that a woman gets green water as a result of taking spinach, lettuce, fresh peas, and apple juice.
Risks and consequences
If a child was born in green waters, then the possible consequences will depend on several factors. It is taken into account how long the child was in dirty waters, that is, when the stool passed, when the newborn took its first breath and how long it lacks oxygen. The longer hypoxia lasts, the weaker the fetus and the higher the risk of complications.
In a situation where manic waters (or meconium) appeared during contractions or immediately before attempts, there is often no reason to worry. From the stress experienced during childbirth, the child could poop and at the same time be born completely healthy. But, it happens that with severe hypoxia, the baby takes a breath while in the womb or birth canal, and then meconium enters the lungs. A condition in which feces are found in the mouth, trachea, under the nails and on the skin of a child indicates the risk of meconium aspiration syndrome.
If the waters turn green and break before the onset of active labor or were diagnosed earlier, there is a risk that the original stool in the amniotic fluid is harmful to the fetus.
Why are green waters dangerous during childbirth:
- meconium can block the airways;
- the efficiency of gas exchange in the lungs decreases;
- neonatal pneumonia develops.
The pathophysiology of meconium aspiration syndrome is due to the ingress of feces into the lung tissue. Irritation of the respiratory organs leads to the development of pneumonia and a general disorder of the respiratory process in the baby - the appearance of respiratory distress syndrome. The disease manifests itself in shortness of breath, cyanosis, retraction of the chest on inhalation, "grunting" exhalation.
Turbid water during childbirth is dangerous, primarily because of negative consequences for a child. But, to some extent, complications arise in the mother. There is a risk of infection of the uterus with pathogenic microorganisms and development as a result of endometritis, peritonitis or sepsis.
Treatment
Green waters can pour out both at home, before labor, and in the clinic, when the woman is already under the supervision of medical staff. If the amniotic fluid has departed before the onset of labor, it is impossible to hesitate and engage in expectant management. Emergency hospitalization and delivery measures are required. Most likely it will be C-section.
If greenish waters have departed during childbirth in a hospital, then it is necessary to monitor the child's condition with the help of CTG, listening to the heartbeat. The frequency of occurrence of complications in the premature passage of feces during childbirth largely depends on the reaction rate and experience of the medical staff. In order for the child not to swallow green amniotic fluid, or rather, not to have time to inhale them, an immediate cleaning of the baby’s nose, trachea and mouth from “dirt” is needed.
The doctor taking delivery stops the attempts at the moment when the head appears and performs the necessary manipulations to aspirate meconium from the respiratory tract. At the end of childbirth and an assessment of the health of the child, monitoring of his health will be required.
If meconium aspiration syndrome is diagnosed, urgent measures must be taken to ensure that the child can breathe. Intubation, suction of feces from the respiratory tract and artificial ventilation of the lungs are carried out, the newborn is placed under a heat source.
An obligatory step with pronounced signs of respiratory distress syndrome is the introduction of a surfactant to prevent adhesion of lung tissues. If pneumonia is suspected, a course of antibiotic therapy is prescribed in parallel. The prognosis for timely and adequate treatment is usually positive.
Prevention and diagnosis
Determining the provoking factor that causes hypoxia allows you to prevent green water in a woman in labor and possible postpartum pathologies in a child. Therefore, it is important for a woman to be regularly observed by a gynecologist and monitor the course of pregnancy.
You can prevent oxygen starvation by giving up bad habits, spending a lot of time in the fresh air. Foods rich in iron should be included in the diet. If there are concomitant chronic diseases, for example, diabetes mellitus is required to carry out their adequate therapy.
At the stage of pregnancy planning, it is worth being tested for TORCH infections, if necessary, treat them. Diseases of the reproductive or urinary system discovered during the bearing of a child should be tried to stop them immediately. It is important for a woman to take care of her health, to beware of viral, catarrhal infections.
With existing fetal hypoxia, the prevention of green water, as a result of meconium discharge, is aimed at alleviating symptoms. A woman is prescribed bed rest and drug therapy to normalize the blood circulation of the placenta. Usually, treatment includes drugs to reduce the contractile activity of the uterus, improve the permeability of cells for oxygenation, vitamins and blood thinners.
Signs of fetal hypoxia are a slowdown in the motor activity of the child, a violation of the heart rate. To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor prescribes additional tests - UAC, OAM, ultrasound, dopplerometry, CTG, ultrasound. But you can see bad water only with the help of amnioscopy. Manipulation means looking at the lower pole of the bladder through the vagina and cervical canal.
Green amniotic fluid is shocking news, but does not always mean dire consequences. Every pregnancy is unique. If hypoxia caused the passage of meconium in the womb of one woman, this does not mean that the scenario will be repeated in another woman in labor. Mothers who have had green waters, in the vast majority, enjoy their healthy children all their lives.
Throughout the period prenatal development the child is reliably protected from the external environment by the fetal bladder and the walls of the uterus. The fetal bladder is filled with amniotic fluid that comes into contact with the skin of the fetus.
There is a continuous exchange between the baby's body and the amniotic fluid, changes in the composition of the fluid reflect the state of the fetus and at the same time affect its life processes. With some disorders, the amniotic fluid loses its normal color and turns green. Why is this change taking place and is green water dangerous for a child?
What determines the color of amniotic fluid?
The amniotic fluid, or amniotic fluid, protects the fetus floating in it for many months of pregnancy. It gently envelops the baby and facilitates its movements inside the uterus, protecting it from shock. Where does this liquid medium come from and what does it consist of? Its main component is water released from the mother's body and accumulated in the uterine cavity. In addition to water, amniotic fluid contains other components:
- nutrients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates);
- hormones;
- antibodies (immunoglobulins);
- particles of the epidermis of the fetus and its hairline;
- particles of original lubricant;
- salt;
- child's waste products.
The composition of the amniotic fluid changes as the baby matures and acquires new properties. Initially, it is mainly water from the mother's body. The fetus floating in it ripens, it develops organs and nerve connections. While inside the uterus, the baby swallows water and urinates.
In the second trimester, the baby's body is covered with silky hairs, which begin to fall out in the last months of pregnancy. In a child, as it grows, skin renewal occurs, accompanied by desquamation of dead epidermis. All these waste products gradually accumulate in a closed space around the fetus.
Fluid levels during pregnancy:
- 60 milliliters at 12 weeks;
- 175 ml at 16 weeks;
- 400 to 1200 ml between 34 and 38 weeks.
From week 36, the volume of fluid decreases, and it becomes more concentrated. It is considered normal if the liquid is clear and slightly yellow. Pouring out during childbirth, it may contain a small admixture of blood.
In some cases, under the influence of a number of reasons, a discharge of cloudy green amniotic fluid may occur. What does this phenomenon mean?
Why do waters turn green?
From 12% to 20% of all births are accompanied by an outpouring of green amniotic fluid. What causes green water during childbirth? The reason for the change in the color of the water to green is meconium, which enters the amniotic fluid.
Meconium is a sticky, dark green substance made up of secretions from the stomach and intestines, amniotic fluid, bile acids, bile, blood, mucus, cholesterol, pancreatic secretions, lanugo, cheesy lubrication. Meconium accumulates in the intestinal lumen of the fetus during the third trimester and is normally excreted during the first bowel movement of the newborn. Sometimes the baby has a bowel movement while still in the womb, in which case meconium passes into the amniotic fluid, turning it green.
Usually, such excretion of meconium is associated with various disorders in the mother-fetus system. Possible reasons excretion of meconium into the amniotic space:
- intrauterine hypoxia of the fetus (in 70% of cases of hypoxia, meconium is found in the amniotic fluid);
- infectious diseases of the reproductive and urinary organs in a pregnant woman;
- the effects of stress on the fetus (mother's illness, severe concussion, etc.);
- early aging of the placenta;
- post-term pregnancy (over 41–42 weeks).
The most common of these causes, due to which cloudy waters form during pregnancy, is oxygen deficiency in the fetus. In this condition, the tone of the sphincters of the child decreases, leading to the release of meconium from the intestine. Depending on the amount of meconium released, three degrees of contamination are distinguished:
- weak: amniotic fluid has a yellow-green or greenish tint and a transparent appearance;
- medium: water is present in sufficient volume and can be dyed khaki or green;
- significant: the amount of amniotic fluid is less than normal, they lose their transparency, taking on the appearance of pea soup.
There are several methods for assessing the condition of the amniotic fluid before the onset of childbirth. These methods include:
- Ultrasound (allows you to determine only the amount of water);
- amnioscopy (visual examination by transillumination);
- amniocentesis (the most accurate method for assessing the composition of the fluid, but dangerous due to its invasiveness).
Green muddy waters have departed - what to do?
The discharge of water usually occurs immediately before childbirth or during them. If the liquid is clear and clear, then there is no cause for concern. If the green waters have receded, this causes alertness. A green color is a signal indicating a problem.
As a rule, this symptom is characteristic of intrauterine fetal hypoxia: in 70% of cases of oxygen starvation, meconium is present in the amniotic fluid, and its amount is directly related to the degree of hypoxia. Obstetricians and neonatologists know this feature and examine such newborns for oxygen starvation especially carefully.
What are the consequences of such water for the fetus?
What to do if a woman in labor has a dirty liquid with meconium (see also:)? Why is the presence of meconium in the amniotic space dangerous for the mother and child? Possible complications:
- ingestion of amniotic fluid with meconium by a child;
- aspiration and meconium contamination of the respiratory tract;
- increased risk of postpartum infection in the mother.
Aspiration syndrome is considered the most problematic and dangerous for a newborn of these complications. Meconium can enter the respiratory tract of a hypoxic child while still in the womb or at the first breath of a newly born baby. Aspiration can lead to asphyxia and other problems. Children in this condition need medical attention immediately after birth.
Signs of meconium aspiration:
- labored breathing;
- wheezing;
- cyanosis of the skin of the newborn;
- visible tension of the rib muscles during inspiration.
The most accurate diagnostic method in this case is a plain chest x-ray. The resulting radiograph allows you to assess the amount of aspirated meconium and its localization in the respiratory tract.
Accompanying symptoms suggestive of meconium aspiration are yellow-green discoloration of the baby's skin and nails, as well as a greenish color of the separated placenta. This means that the fetus has had prolonged intrauterine contact with contaminated amniotic fluid and there is a high probability that it will enter the child's respiratory tract.
The tactics of doctors in providing first aid depends on the severity of aspiration and may include the following activities:
- aspiration of the contents of the upper respiratory tract, including the mouth, nose and throat;
- clearing the lower respiratory tract with an endotracheal tube;
- oxygen therapy through a mask or mechanical ventilation.
The prognosis and outcome of greenwater aspiration conditions can vary widely depending on the amount of meconium inhaled, the timeliness of care, and the child's initial condition. In healthy newborns not weakened by hypoxia, with accidental meconium aspiration, spontaneous physiological clearance of the respiratory tract from turbid amniotic fluid usually occurs, and this situation is resolved favorably, without leading to complications in the future.
In contrast, children who have experienced hypoxia are more likely to develop pathological consequences in the form of neonatal pneumonia or neurological symptoms. Such babies require complex therapy and long-term postnatal observation.
The discharge of amniotic fluid notifies the woman that the baby is ready to be born. If the waters have broken, then the birth should take place in the near future, because without them the child cannot stay in the womb for a long time. Doctors say that if childbirth does not begin within a day after the water breaks, then it is necessary to go to the hospital without waiting for contractions.
It happens that the amniotic fluid does not depart on its own. This can happen already during childbirth or not happen at all - then the woman is pierced with a water bladder.
Amniotic fluid is certainly evaluated, since their condition is of great diagnostic value. Normally, amniotic fluid should be clear. If the waters are greenish, green or dark, then we are talking about some kind of violation. However, not always, but the gynecologist will certainly take this fact into account.
Why there are green waters during childbirth, and how dangerous it can be, many mothers are trying to find out. But the answers are so confusing that it is not easy to understand the question.
Causes of green waters in childbirth
Green water during childbirth is not at all uncommon. If you ask all your friends, whose waters were green, about the conclusion and forecasts of the doctor, you will get a lot of different answers. In addition, often women do not agree with the doctor's opinion and are sure that the reason for their green waters is completely different. In fact, it is far from always possible to determine exactly why the waters turned green. But still, doctors identify several factors that can cause green water during childbirth.
Most often, the cause of greening of the waters during childbirth is. Due to the lack of oxygen, a reflex contraction of the sphincter of the anus occurs, and the original feces of the child, meconium, are released. It is he who gives the amniotic fluid a characteristic color.
There can be many reasons for the development of fetal hypoxia. It resembles a chain reaction, when individual "links" provoke each other's attack and all eventually lead to the release of meconium. For example, among the reasons for green waters during childbirth, gynecologists-obstetricians call. Why? Yes, because the longer the gestation period, the older the placenta becomes. She is gradually becoming obsolete and can no longer properly perform the functions assigned to her during pregnancy, namely the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. Thus, the child experiences oxygen starvation, hypoxia develops, reflex excretion of meconium occurs - the waters turn green.
You may have heard that sometimes the green color of amniotic fluid during childbirth is associated with the woman's diet the day before. So, apple juice or fresh peas can green the waters. But most doctors still tend to believe that this phenomenon is not related to nutrition.
It also happens that green waters during childbirth can be observed with rare genetic diseases in a child. But this is a very infrequent phenomenon, so as a rule it is not necessary to talk about it.
Well, in the end, the most important thing. Childbirth is always a great stress for the baby, especially protracted ones. When more, when less, but the child inevitably experiences a certain shock during childbirth. Therefore, it is quite normal and natural that he excretes meconium, and, to put it simply, poops. There are statistics that this happens in 30% of cases and very often does not mean anything bad.
Consequences of green waters during childbirth: what to expect in the future?
Searching for the cause of green waters during childbirth can be useless. Of course, if you plan to give birth again in the future, then such knowledge may be useful to you. But each subsequent pregnancy proceeds differently, and no one can predict the baby's reaction to the upcoming birth process.
In general, if the waters were green, this is already in the past. What to expect in the future? Is it dangerous?
Even this question will not be answered unambiguously and categorically. But at the sight of green waters, doctors sigh and fuss. "Green", - the woman in labor hears the "verdict" pronounced with displeasure. So what does it mean?
It should be said that in some cases green waters are indeed a bad sign. First of all, due to the fact that the baby during childbirth can swallow this toxic liquid, the consequences of which can be severe. If a woman's green waters have broken and the labor process has not yet begun, she will almost certainly be sent for a caesarean section, because this means that the baby is lacking oxygen and is definitely in danger.
Another thing is when the bowel movement with meconium occurred already in the process of childbirth, and the child did not stay in the contaminated environment for long. In this case, the risks are minimized. As we have said, meconium excretion is a natural reaction of an infant to birth stress. She poses no danger.
Now about the consequences. As can be concluded from all that has been said, green waters are far from the only factor by which one can judge the health and well-being of a newborn. Very often, babies born when green waters break are distinguished by good health and gain 8-9 points on the Apgar scale. There are also reverse cases when, with clean clear waters, babies are not always in perfect order.
In general, the connection between a probable cause and effect in this case cannot be considered as inseparable. Women with post-term pregnancy often have clear water. In the absence of hypoxia in a child, green waters may well depart. When hypoxia is detected, the water can remain transparent. A perfectly flowing pregnancy without a single disease or ailment may well end in the discharge of green waters ...
It should be recognized that the competent behavior of the doctor taking delivery plays an important role in this. The airways of a newborn who has swallowed green waters should be cleared of contents even at the stage of birth of the head, until he has taken his first breath and drawn meconium into the lungs. To do this, the obstetrician is obliged to suspend attempts and produce aspiration.
You must understand that in the process of childbirth, many factors are interconnected, which should not be evaluated in isolation. The main thing is that everything is in order with the baby. And the color of the waters does not promise you any problems at all. Love and cherish your "greenies" - that's what really matters!
Specially for- Elena Kichak