The term perinatal It relates the events or phenomena that occurred around the birth, either before, during or after it.
Duration of the perinatal period
These events are studied and treated by a branch of medicine called perinatology. This It frames the perinatal period in a period of time located between the 28th week of pregnancy and the first week of the baby’s life.
The neonatal period is a period of time that initially overlaps the perinatal period. The neonatal phase goes from birth to the first 28 days of the baby’s life, in this phase it is known as newborn or neonate.
This period is of great importance since childbirth occurs during this period of time. In this phase, gynecological check-ups are done more frequently.
It is also in the perinatal phase when a series of conditions must be monitored and identified, both in the mother and in the fetus, which may affect the delivery or even affect the health and life of both the mother and the child.
Possible complications that occur at this stage
From the 28th week of pregnancy, the third trimester is entered, a period in which a series of events can occur that lead to the nearly or premature birth of the baby. This is mainly related to the appearance of gynecological infections that deteriorate the membranes that surround the baby, which leads to their rupture with the consequent loss of amniotic fluid, which stimulates the onset of labor.
Other common disorders of this period include problems that can occur to the mother before or during labor. problems like elevated blood pressure in the mother (eclampsia) or one abnormal presentation of the baby at birth (foot or breech presentation, transverse presentation, dystosias). This last condition can lead to a very long and difficult labor, producing injuries such as tears in the mother or suffocation in the newborn.
These problems have a greater impact in societies with a low socioeconomic or cultural level, where there is no easy access to more complex medical care that allows for procedures such as cesarean sections and newborn resuscitation. In the past, this was an important cause of perinatal mortality, unfortunately, although it has decreased, it still occurs, especially in low-weight mothers, who have had several births, smokers, and those who have not had adequate prenatal care.
Complications can also occur after birth, mainly infections of the maternal uterus due to retention of placenta remains, puerperal haemorrhage waves fetal infectionsmainly at the level of the umbilical cord.
Photo Fotolia. Evgeniy Trofimenko
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