So, Can Babies Have Seizure in the Womb? And Know To Panic
Pregnancy is a very delicate situation. Rewarding, as it seems, there are always instances when we get scared of what will happen to us and concerned with what is going on with our babies.
When I was pregnant with my little girl, everything seemed smooth until I felt sudden movements and different kinds of kicking. It seems like my baby is having hiccups, but then the sensations become intense that I felt like she is going through a seizure.
Can babies have seizures in the womb? I wanted to know so that I can prepare myself and go through necessary treatments to help my child. That is why, I did not only asked my doctor about it, I also did my research to know more.
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What are Seizures?
A surge in the electrical activity of the brain caused by various changes in the nerve cells is what we call a seizure. When it happens, the brain cells cease to function well, and there is no sending of messages from one cell to another. There can be too many or very few activities when a seizure happens, that is why some people having a seizure stops what they are doing or try to do a lot of actions.
While a study indicates that newborns and young children have the highest risk of seizures, the percentage of 5 in the total population makes it a rare condition. Another case study filed at the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health reports that seizure by infants is very rare with only a percentage of 0.5% to likely happen in term infants while 22.2% for preterm infants. Utero seizures usually occur in the poorest outcome.
Seizures happen as a symptom to an underlying disease rather than being a disease itself. Different neurological disorders can instigate seizures in the body as predictors of its onset.
However, your baby’s radical movements may be due to its growth inside the womb or that his happy feelings may be reflected in his activities. Most seizure-like movements in the womb happen from 30 weeks of gestation until the baby comes out to five months.
Reasons Why Babies Move
There are different ways infants kick when inside the womb. Often, you can feel like a flutter of butterflies flying. There are times when it is like a wave of water flowing. Other feelings include twitches or nudges.
Parents who feel a weird sensation of rhythmic movements often associate them to seizures. However, this is more likely your baby is doing hiccups. It is a part of the fetus' development and even a sign that the infant is healthy.
It is good to realize that baby’s movements are unique and may vary from time to time. Starting at 28 weeks, babies will move at least six times a day. But, as they begin to grow, the room in your womb is too little for them to do their wild actions. That is when you start to wonder why your baby is seldom moving.
Mothers also experience painful movements from their infants during their third trimester. These sensations are not similar to the exciting feel of kicking and twitching in the earlier periods. Still, it is part of the pregnancy process and a normal occurrence.
Babies move because:
- He is stretching. The tiny room around him brings him closer to you thus the heavy feeling of vibrations every time.
- His nervous system is developing. Nerves growing in his body start to function well causing your baby to react. You can then feel these nervous twitches.
- He is trying to move the umbilical cord. Your child may be tangled in the umbilical cord, or it is gradually wrapped around him. His movement indicates that he wants to free himself from it.
- He is happy and healthy. Infants get their supply through your placenta, and a regular flow of what he needs will keep him happy and in good shape. Once that happens, it will be reflected in a lot of kicks.
Signs that Something is Wrong
Baby movements may seem like an average condition, but there are still signs that show distress or danger in your child. For instance, your infant is no longer moving within several hours, and he is not responding to any stimulus from the environment after 20 weeks.
You may even notice an abnormal swelling of your hands and feet. Severe cramping in your womb is also a sign as well as constant and associated back pain. For worst cases, you may experience vaginal bleeding and even high blood pressure.
Other signs of an alarming pregnancy:
- Tender belly when pressed
- Tiny red spots present on the skin
- No heart beat of the baby
- Having vaginal discharge
- Fever and severe headache
- Vomiting
- You are having a seizure
What You Can Do To Prevent Seizures in Your Baby
Eat healthy foods. Remember, your child eats what you eat. To prevent any disorder or disease, you must be watchful on the foods you feed in your mouth. Also, choose good foods that will help in your baby’s growth and development.
Ask your doctor for recommended prenatal vitamins. Your doctor can evaluate what nutrients are low in your body thus prescribing the right vitamins you can take in.
Go through regular prenatal check ups. Your doctor will schedule the necessary visits you need to do so she can keep track of your baby’s condition in the womb. Undergo regular ultrasound to detect any irregular fetal movements so that proper diagnosis can be made earlier.
Avoid unhealthy habits. Quit smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages or taking in illegal drugs. These things can severely affect the brain development of your baby thus can lead to potential seizures while pregnant.
Avoid too much stress. Get enough sleep and rest when you feel tired. Do not overwork yourself and avoid straining your mind.
You are Not Alone!
Going through a tough time during pregnancy can let you down and give you worries. The feeling of losing your baby or seeing him with disorders after birth will make you cry and afraid of the future.
But, always think that these incidents do not only happen to you but also to all pregnant women. We all experience the same fear and concerns and most of the time, everything turns out okay once the baby is out.
I was having emotional breakdowns during my pregnancy whenever I feel something unusual. I would cry and think of what may happen to my baby. But, during these times when I feel confused, I seek my doctor’s advice and ask for explanations to the things I experience. It gives me confidence that what I am going through is normal and my baby is healthy.
Have you felt that your baby may be having a seizure? Tell us your story!
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