Should the fetus have slow growth, should it be delivered naturally or by cesarean section?

The doctor recommended a cesarean section to raise the baby outside. In the worst case, if the fetus has slow growth and must be born early, should I give birth normally or have a cesarean section? (Yen, 23 years old, Da Nang)

Reply:

Fetal growth restriction is a condition in which the weight of the fetus is smaller than that of a normal fetus of the same age, and can occur at any time during pregnancy. Fetal growth retardation can cause many complications, the biggest risk being intrauterine stillbirth. There are many causes leading to this condition, of which the three main causes are placental dysfunction, genetic abnormalities, and fetal infection.

There is currently no effective screening, prevention, or treatment method for fetal growth restriction. Therefore, the only way to handle it is to choose the appropriate time to end the pregnancy (that is, to give birth). The specialist will continuously check the health of the fetus through Doppler ultrasound and CTG (fetal heart monitoring). If the condition of the fetus and placental circulation show signs of deterioration, the risk of stillbirth in the uterus is higher than the risk of the baby dying after birth, the doctor will prescribe ending the pregnancy.

For fetal growth restriction, there is currently no consensus on ending the pregnancy by cesarean section or normal birth. If the pregnant woman has placenta previa, has an old incision, is in position, or the fetus’ health condition does not allow for a normal birth, the doctor will prescribe a cesarean section.

In your case, the fetus has slow growth at weeks 26-32, the doctor prescribes a cesarean section at week 32. That is, the doctor carefully evaluates the health of the fetus through Doppler ultrasound, before making a decision on the outcome. end pregnancy.