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Blue babyA blue baby has bluish colour of the skin, lips and nails . It may also have misshapen fingers and stunted body growth. Babies are born blue because they may have a variety of congenital heart defects but most common are four:
These defects allow blood to bypass lungs and go directly into circulation in an un oxygenated state. In a normal baby the heart pumps the blood to the lungs, where the blood picks up oxygen. This oxygenated blood returns to the heart and is pumped to the various parts of body. After giving up its supply of oxygen to body cells the blood returns to the heart through the veins completing it's cycle. The bluish colour of this oxygen lacking blood can be seen in the veins which are blue in colour. In a blue baby the blood bypasses lungs, this un oxygenated blood with it's bluish colouring is then pumped through out the body instead of oxygen rich bright red colour. Since oxygen is a great necessity to the body cells,this condition can prove fatal to a baby, if not treated immediately. These days blue babies can be cured by surgeries. German measles if contracted by a pregnant woman during first months of pregnancy gives rise to congenital heart defects of foetus. Therefore a woman who has German measles should immediately report to her doctor. |