Table of contents:
- What is amniotic band syndrome?
- How often does this amniotic band syndrome occur?
- Why does this happen?
- What treatment is done if the mother has this condition?
- What happens to my baby after birth if I experience this?
Every prospective parent wants their child to be born perfect and in good health. Therefore, you must be smart about maintaining a healthy body with a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. But sometimes, pregnancy complications can occur unexpectedly. One of the problems with pregnancy that can cause babies to be born with disabilities is amniotic band syndrome. How dangerous is this problem?
What is amniotic band syndrome?
Amiotic band syndrome is a pregnancy complication that occurs when the amount of amniotic fluid in the uterus is too little, so it doesn't completely wrap around the fetal body. Lack of amniotic fluid can result from damaged or partially torn amniotic membranes.
This can cause the baby's body tissue that is not covered by amniotic fluid to fail to develop - and possibly even die - due to not getting enough food from amniotic fluid.
Therefore, when the fetus is born, there will be several parts of the body that will experience defects. In some cases, the damaged part of the fetus has to be amputated even though it is still in the womb.
How often does this amniotic band syndrome occur?
Amniotic band syndrome is a very rare pregnancy disorder. Experts say that the chance of a case occurring is 1 in 1,200 to 1 in 15,000 births. Until now, only 600 babies have been born in the world with physical disabilities due to amniotic band syndrome.
However, this syndrome is difficult to detect early. Pregnancy checks such as ultrasound which is done routinely during pregnancy cannot detect this condition so it is very difficult to know.
Why does this happen?
In the uterus, the fetus is covered by a membrane that contains amniotic fluid as a place for growth and development. There are two types of layers that protect this membrane, namely the amniotic layer and the chronion layer. These layers keep the baby safe in the amniotic fluid.
Too little amniotic fluid, whether the membrane is torn or damaged, will limit the space for the baby to move. The fetus that continues to develop with gestational age will continue to press on the uterus and eventually make the outermost layer, namely the amnion, prone to tearing and damage. This then causes the baby's limbs to develop outside the amionic layer.
Damage to the amniotic membrane can also produce thin fibers that can entangle parts of the baby's body. This bonding can inhibit the development of the bound limb of the fetus, or even result in the breakage of the fetus.
Until now, it is not clear what causes amniotic band syndrome. However, experts can confirm that this condition is not caused by genetics or heredity.
What treatment is done if the mother has this condition?
Since this condition cannot be detected, most cases will be treated after birth. Defects usually occur in the limbs, such as the fingers sticking together or the leg is not perfect, so it does not rule out the possibility that it also occurs in the head.
In general, amputation procedures to remove dead body tissue are performed while the fetus is still in the womb. But it can also be done when he is born. This depends on each fetal condition.
What happens to my baby after birth if I experience this?
Amniotic band syndrome causes the baby to be born with physical defects, depending on which part of the body was not coated with the amniotic membrane while still in the womb. The treatment will depend on the condition of each baby. However, because this condition is not caused by genetic disorders, the physical disabilities experienced by your little one can be treated properly through surgery.
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