cord blood back flow

[snugglebug14]

I have a client (breastfeeding counseling client) who was just given a second c-section. For the past two weeks they've been telling her that the baby's blood pressure was really high. She was going to level 2 ultrasounds twice a week. On monday they noticed the baby's cord blood was flowing backwards so she was given a c-section. I was wondering if anyone knows anything about this condition and could explain it to me better. Also, how did they know the baby had high blood pressure?

[mothercat]

I think it's called reverse end doppler flow. I think the problem is the same as when mom's BP is too high. The blood entering the placenta needs to ooze in to allow time for the O2/nutrients and the CO2/waste from the mom and baby to diffuse across the single layer of cells at the end of the flow tract. If the pressure from either side is too high, then blood flows through too fast to do any good in terms of an exchange. Essentially it's bouncing back.
Think of when you turn on the faucet to put water in a glass. If the pressure is on the low side, the glass fills with not too much splashing, but if the pressure of the water flow is too high, it hits the bottom or sides of the glass and bounces out, splashes, etc.and you end up with not too much water.
Blood entering the placenta from mom or baby has no where else to go (sideways) so ends up backflowing in the vessels.