What should an expectant mother do when she encounters fetal arrest?

A successful pregnancy is great news for every family of pregnant women who want a baby. However, once embryonic arrest occurs, it is like a bolt from the blue, causing the hopeful parents-to-be to fall to the bottom in an instant. Now there are more and more pregnant women with embryonic arrest. Many pregnant women have a common question-why did my baby stop developing when he was fine? In this issue, Tara, an obstetrician and gynecologist, the person in charge of the recurrent miscarriage clinic in the Women and Children's Hospital of our hospital, and the chief physician, will provide specific popular science on the causes and signs of embryonic arrest in pregnant women, as well as matters that need attention, and other health topics related to pregnant women and fetuses.

What is embryo arrest?

Embryonic arrest can occur at any stage of pregnancy, most of which occur within 12 weeks of pregnancy. We know that after the sperm and egg combine to form a fertilized egg, it is like a seed that goes through a series of complex and wonderful processes before it eventually grows into a healthy baby. If the fertilized egg does not germinate or grow well in the initial stage, it is likely to stop developing at a certain stage, and ultrasound examinations will generally indicate embryonic arrest.

Why does the embryo stop developing?

1. Genetic factors.

An embryo with chromosomal abnormalities cannot grow into a normal fetus. The earlier the embryo stops developing, the greater the possibility of chromosomal abnormalities. If the embryo stops developing repeatedly, it is necessary to screen the chromosomes of both husband and wife for abnormalities.

2. Maternal factors.

(1) Anatomical factors: that is, there is something wrong with the uterus that is carrying the baby. Uterine malformations, such as uterine hypoplasia, unicornuate uterus, didelphys, uterine septum, etc., as well as uterine abnormalities such as intrauterine adhesions, uterine fibroids, endometrial diseases, and cervical insufficiency, may affect the intrauterine environment and uterine blood supply, thereby affecting embryo implantation and development.

(2) Infectious factors: Systemic infections and female reproductive tract infections, such as bacteremia, sepsis, chronic endometritis, chorioamnionitis, etc., may have toxic effects on the embryo or fetus during pregnancy or induce uterine contractions, leading to embryonic arrest.

(3) Endocrine factors: Embryo implantation and continued development depend on the complex maternal endocrine environment. Insufficient endogenous hormones or internal environment disorders, such as luteal insufficiency, polycystic ovary syndrome, abnormal thyroid function, diabetes, hyperprolactinemia, etc., may not be able to meet the normal development needs of the embryo and lead to embryonic arrest.

(4) Thrombotic factors: The body is in a state of hypercoagulable blood, placental infarction occurs, and placental blood supply is reduced, which will eventually cause fetal death.

(5) Immune factors: Although some immune abnormalities cannot be diagnosed as immune diseases, they can lead to rejection between the embryo and the mother and prevent normal development. Or some diseases, such as antiphospholipid syndrome, lupus erythematosus, undifferentiated connective tissue disease and other autoimmune diseases, can cause the embryo to stop developing.

(6) In addition, the male factor should not be ignored: problems with the quality of male semen may also lead to abnormal embryonic development. There are many factors that affect semen, including high temperature environment, radiation, chemical factors, diet and environmental factors, male urogenital tract infection, sleep, psychological factors and advanced age. These factors may directly or indirectly have adverse effects on the quantity, quality and motility of sperm.

(7) In addition, environmental factors, bad living habits, and psychological stress may also be causes of embryonic arrest.

What are the signs of embryonic arrest?

Some cases of embryonic cessation have precursors. For example, most pregnant women will experience dizziness, nausea, aversion to greasy food, breast pain and other early pregnancy reactions around 40 days of pregnancy. Some sensitive pregnant women will find that these reactions suddenly stop. In addition, some people experience vaginal bleeding, lower abdominal pain and other symptoms, which are precursors to embryonic cessation. Some have no signs at all. The previous ultrasound examination was normal, but the embryo was found to have stopped developing during the next ultrasound examination.

Can the embryo be saved after it has arrested development?

If ultrasound indicates that the embryo has stopped developing, it is not recommended to preserve the fetus. However, for patients with irregular menstruation, the number of days of pregnancy must be verified. If the embryo has indeed stopped developing, there is no need to preserve the fetus. The pregnancy should be terminated in time, and abortion should be chosen according to the number of days of amenorrhea.

Special reminder

1. How to deal with embryonic arrest?

1. Accept the reality and stay calm: Although embryonic arrest is hard to accept, you must remain calm and face it rationally.

2. Seek professional help: Once embryonic arrest is confirmed, you should seek medical attention promptly and follow the doctor's advice for appropriate treatment.

3. Adjust your mindset and face it positively: Embryo arrest is not the fault of the pregnant woman, nor does it mean that you will not be able to give birth to a healthy baby in the future. You should actively adjust your mindset and prepare for the next pregnancy.

2. What should you pay attention to when preparing for pregnancy again?

1. If it is just one fetal arrest, the couple should calm down and terminate the pregnancy. After two more menstrual periods, you can prepare for pregnancy normally. But before preparing for pregnancy, you should undergo relevant eugenics examinations.

2. If embryonic arrest occurs twice or more, pay close attention to it.

(1) A comprehensive examination should be conducted before pregnancy preparation to screen the chromosomes, anatomical factors, endocrine factors, thrombotic factors, immune factors, etc. of both parents;

(2) Then carry out relevant treatment based on the examination results.

(3) In addition to finding the cause, you should also pay attention to developing healthy living habits, such as going to bed early and getting up early, quitting smoking and drinking, taking folic acid supplements in advance, and doing appropriate aerobic exercise.

(4) In order to maintain the health of semen, men should avoid high temperature environments, reduce radiation exposure, use drugs rationally, eat healthily, actively treat diseases, get enough sleep, relieve mental stress and avoid environmental pollution. At the same time, regular semen examination is also an important means to assess the health of semen. In short, embryonic arrest is a heartbreaking topic, but it is also a reality we have to face. Once a pregnant woman experiences embryonic arrest, the correct approach is to go to a regular hospital obstetrics and gynecology department for examination in a timely manner and handle it in a standardized manner.

I wish every pregnant woman's dream can come true and become a healthy and happy expectant mother.