HIE life expectancy is something that many parents are concerned with, especially when they are initially informed of their child’s brain injury. From our experience, HIE life expectancy is a concern because for many parents they generally have little understanding regarding HIE, or hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. To understand the issues surrounding HIE and life expectancy, one must understand some of the basics surrounding HIE.
In today’s talk we focus on things which can impact life expectancy for a baby impacted with HIE. Before going on, please remember that this is general information and that at the end of the day life expectancy is something no one can predict to an absolute.
What Is HIE & Can Doctors Sometimes Have An Idea Of Problems During Labor & Delivery?
HIE can occur when there is a reduction of blood and oxygen for a baby, as this can lead to a brain injury in some cases. HIE is a type of traumatic brain injury and can have multiple causes. For example, if there are genetic issues, then in some instances blood and oxygen problems can occur. Developmental issues as the baby grows in the womb can also lead to blood and oxygen problems in some instances. During labor and delivery, if there are problems with the placenta, or umbilical cord compression, HIE can occur. These are but some of the ways in which HIE can be caused.
For doctors and nurses, the electronic fetal heart monitor can help determine whether a child is in a condition called fetal distress. Fetal distress can be exhibited on the fetal heart monitor when certain things are present. For example, if the monitor reveals that the baby is having late decelerations and minimal variability, along with bradycardia, and this pattern is occurring multiple times over labor and delivery, this can suggest that the baby might be in trouble. This is just one type of scenario which can cause concern during labor and delivery.
At the end of the day, doctors and nurses must be prepared to accurately diagnose and treat fetal distress. If conservative treatment measures are not working, then an emergency C-section might be warranted.
HIE Life Expectancy
One of the main things to focus on with HIE life expectancy is the severity of the HIE injury. Understanding the severity of the injury can help determine the type of challenges that your baby might face in the future. According to some data, with severe HIE cases, the mortality rate can range between 20-50%. For many of these babies, death will occur within a short few days after birth. Usually, this is because of damage to other organs, which can lead to a cascade breakdown throughout the body. For parents who are currently working with their baby’s HIE diagnosis, the threat of infections and types of pneumonia is also a concern.
For babies who survive a severe HIE diagnosis there is an 80% chance that they will go on to develop serious other complications from the injury. Babies who survive a moderate HIE diagnosis have a 30-50% chance of developing long term complications.
Thanks for reading, from your friends at HIE Resource Place.