Question
During the 38th week of prenatal care, the doctor pointed out irregularities in the baby’s heart rate and suggested hospital observation.
Answer
During the 38th week of fetal heart rate monitoring, the doctor noted that the baby had experienced four decelerations and had a history of the umbilical cord being wrapped around the neck once. There is no family history of genetic diseases. The doctor pointed out that frequent variations and late decelerations both require attention. The umbilical cord wrap around the neck could lead to compression during uterine contractions, stimulating the vagus nerve, causing variable decelerations. Frequent occurrences suggest that the fetus may be experiencing oxygen deficiency, which needs to be actively managed. Whether this poses a risk to the fetus and whether a normal delivery is possible will depend on the condition of both the mother and the fetus during labor.