Pregnancy events and brain damage.
A national standard of perinatal care has been established for the early detection and appropriate management of the fetus-neonate who is at risk for distress, brain damage, or death. While perinatal and infant mortality has significantly decreased during the past 10 years, a similar reduction in conditions of severe handicap has not been observed. Undetected antenatal umbilical cord compression is suggested as a possible cause of unexplained brain damage. Basic animal experimentation and clinical experience is reviewed to support the hypothesis.
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000209:etiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D000882:Haplorhini; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D012756:Sheep; D014470:Umbilical Cord