The signs which indicate that your baby’s gestation needs to be cut short include larger head of the child, less rounded features of the child, fine hair covering a major portion of the body, low body temperature of the child, especially just after delivery, lack of stored body fat in the child, trouble in breathing, and lack of reflex or common movement.

A smaller gestation indicates that your baby is premature. That means that it has not got enough time to develop within the womb. A premature baby can suffer from many problems. It takes longer time for organ development. The respiratory problem persists.

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7 Signs of Baby’s Smaller Gestation

Larger Head

A baby with larger head and smaller body is a definite sign of gestation needs to be cut short. This means that the child lacks overall fat and feature development. The lack of organ development or the lack of stored fat is also another reason for that.  It is not get the proper nutrition from the womb to develop regularly. That is when the doctors decide to cut the gestation short.

Less Rounded Features

If it is being detected that the child has less rounded features and more shaper looking sides, then also gestation is normally cut short. This indicates that the baby lacks proper amount of body fat. The lack of fat stores indicates that your baby is premature. In such cases the gestation period needs to be cut short.

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Body Covered in Fine Hair

If the baby’s body is covered in fine hair called lanugos then also the gestation period is normally cut short. Lanugos normally shed off during the first week of pregnancy. However, if the cover is too thick then it becomes problem. If much of the body is covered with such hair then it is not good for the skin development.

Very Low Body Temperature

Premature babies have a very low body temperature. Especially, immediately after the birth of the child, the temperature remains threateningly low. That is certainly a concern. Babies cannot survive without some heat. That is when the gestation period needs to be cut short.

Lack of stored body fat of the baby is the main reason why the gestation needs to be reduced. It is the primary cause that leads to the lowering of the body temperature of the baby. This also causes other problems like lack of organ development and hindered growth.

More than the initial temperature the main problem with such babies is their incapability of storing the body temperature. A normal baby has enough stored fat in him or her to restore the temperature for a longer duration, even though rest of the organs are not developed enough to generate body heat. In case the body temperature dips too low, then it might also trigger hypothermia.

This disease can also cause breathing problems and lowering of blood sugar. These factors are also signals that your baby’s gestation needs to be cut short. The child will require all the energy he/she gets from the feeding and nothing else will help him/her to restore the body heat.

Respiratory Problems

One of the major pertaining to premature delivery is that the baby might be suffering intensely from respiratory disorders. The respiratory system can be immature. Baby’s lung can lack adequate amount of surfactant. That disables the lungs from expanding and contracting accordingly. This is definitely a question of the baby’s survival. In such cases the gestation is normally cut short.

Also at the same time, there can be respiratory distress symptoms which make it challenging for the baby to survive on its own.

Heart Problems

Apart from the respiratory disorders there are also various heart problems faced by premature babies. They also can experience low blood pressure. This makes their survival very challenging.

Premature babies experience patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). This causes uneven blood flow into the two arteries of the baby’s heart. This increases the risk.

Blood Related Problems

Blood related problems are also signs that your baby needs less gestation period. A premature baby can face anemia. Infant jaundice is also very common. The baby will lack adequate amount of blood cells.

While all new born children are born with problems pertaining to red blood cell counts, but for premature babies the problem is much more intense. Infant jaundice is also a sign that the gestation period needs to be shorten.

Other Signs:

Apart from these obvious signs there are also other factors which impact the duration of the gestation period. Like for instance, a premature baby will suffer from a lack of immunity. The lack of blood cells will mean that the immunity system will be weak. That is why premature babies are more prone to infection and fever.

The low level of blood sugar also reduces the metabolism of the child. The low digestive capability makes it even more challenging to gain proper weight and fat. The severe gastrointestinal problems of premature babies are also one of the factors contributing to the reduction of the gestation period. An acute problem known as the necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) occurs to the child and it eventually gets reduced as the baby starts feeding on the mother’s milk.

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