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Is Normal For A Unborn Baby To Have Hiccups Everyday?
Question: Hello doctor, my question is if it is normal for a unborn baby to have hiccups everyday. My baby gets them twice, sometimes three times a day, for about 3 or 4 minutos each time. I'm almost 30 weeks pregnant. Thank you very much.
Brief Answer:
It is normal.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Hiccups in the unborn baby are a normal feature and they indicate an intact nervous system. You can feel them as early as the end of first trimester and the beginning of second trimester, sometimes even before you start feeling the fetal movements.
The frequency is more in the early stages and gradually declines to 3/day in the last trimester. Increase in the intensity and frequency may sometimes indicate a cord entanglement; fetal seizures, though very rare, are sometimes mistaken for hiccups. In any case, an ultrasonogram associated with mapping of fetal biophysical profile, cardiotocogram and fetal echoencephalogram help in the diagnosis.
As you are facing prolonged duration though less in frequency, please do ask your consultant to look for the probable complications. Please take rest for two hours in the day and eight hours in the night, preferably in the left lateral position to improve blood supply to the fetus.
Hope I have answered your query. Please feel free to contact for further clarifications. I will be happy to help.
regards,
Shanti.V.
It is normal.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Hiccups in the unborn baby are a normal feature and they indicate an intact nervous system. You can feel them as early as the end of first trimester and the beginning of second trimester, sometimes even before you start feeling the fetal movements.
The frequency is more in the early stages and gradually declines to 3/day in the last trimester. Increase in the intensity and frequency may sometimes indicate a cord entanglement; fetal seizures, though very rare, are sometimes mistaken for hiccups. In any case, an ultrasonogram associated with mapping of fetal biophysical profile, cardiotocogram and fetal echoencephalogram help in the diagnosis.
As you are facing prolonged duration though less in frequency, please do ask your consultant to look for the probable complications. Please take rest for two hours in the day and eight hours in the night, preferably in the left lateral position to improve blood supply to the fetus.
Hope I have answered your query. Please feel free to contact for further clarifications. I will be happy to help.
regards,
Shanti.V.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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