Various abnormalities in babies scare young mothers. So, one of the pathologies that cause panic attacks in a woman is a cephalohematoma on the baby's head. This phenomenon occurs in every 3-5 babies per 1000.
A cephalohematoma is a swelling on the head of a newborn, which in most cases resembles a round tumor. Such a neoplasm represents a hemorrhage between the connective tissue of the head and the bones of the skull. The color of the cephalohematoma is no different from the rest of the skin.
A cephalohematoma is formed during childbirth. Indeed, when passing through the birth canal, the child's head experiences quite serious overloads. The skin is displaced and blood vessels rupture. Sometimes the appearance of such a tumor is a consequence of the use of forceps or a vacuum device during childbirth. As a result of the rupture of blood vessels, blood accumulates under the skin, and this blood does not clot. And many mothers can observe an increase in cephalohematoma in the first couple of days after giving birth. The volume of blood that can collect in a tumor is 5-150 ml.
The location of the cephalohematoma is unpredictable. It can be located both on the parietal bones and on the back of the head, forehead, and temples.
Reasons why cephalohematoma occurs
The main reason for the appearance of such a tumor is mechanical damage to the head during childbirth due to the discrepancy between the head and the size of the birth canal. Among the indirect reasons that can lead to such a discrepancy, there is a whole list:
- very large fetal weight;
- non-physiological position of the fetus at the time of delivery, for example, breech presentation;
- various intrauterine developmental defects of the child;
- postmaturity;
- too old age of the woman in labor;
- the rapidity of childbirth, especially in primiparous;
- the narrowness of the mother's pelvis or previous pelvic injuries.
In some cases, the reasons for the occurrence of cephalohematoma on the child's head are called neurological problems that appeared as a result of entanglement with the umbilical cord and the development of hypoxia during childbirth, the accumulation of mucus in the baby's mouth, etc.
A young mother should be prepared for the fact that if the cephalohematoma is large, there is a risk of a decrease in hemoglobin in the newborn's blood due to a sufficiently large blood loss for him. If the tumor is large, blood can seep into nearby tissues, breaking down into hemoglobin particles. This leads to jaundice. In some situations, when the process of blood resorption is delayed, deformities of the skull appear. The cephalohematoma must be observed very carefully, because if it remains unchanged for a long time, suppuration may occur.
Treatment of cephalohematoma
The doctor chooses the treatment method based on the appearance, size and other characteristics of the hematoma. So, for example, if it is small, special treatment is not required - it itself should dissolve within a maximum of 2 months after childbirth. Sometimes doctors recommend taking vitamin K supplements to improve blood clotting. Also, calcium gluconate, which strengthens the walls of blood vessels, can be prescribed in combination with it.
If the cephalohematoma is impressive in size or has lingered on the child's head longer than it should be, an autopsy of the tumor may be prescribed to remove its contents. It is made with a special thin needle. After such an intervention, a special pressure bandage is applied to the baby's head.
