Preterm birth: causes, symptoms, and treatment options
- Article reading time: 5 minutes
Preterm labor occurs when your body prepares for delivery too early in pregnancy. If labor begins more than three weeks before your due date, it is considered preterm labor. While preterm labor can lead to premature birth, doctors can often take measures to delay delivery and give your baby more time to grow and develop.
Risk factors for preterm birth
Several factors can increase the risk of preterm birth, including:
– Smoking
– Being overweight or underweight before pregnancy
– Being pregnant at a very young age or over 40
– Inadequate prenatal care
– Alcohol or drug use during pregnancy
– Having certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure, preeclampsia, diabetes, or infections
– Carrying a baby with a birth defect or conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF)
– Twin or multiple pregnancies
– A personal or family history of preterm birth
– Becoming pregnant too soon after a previous birth
Recognizing the signs of preterm labor
To prevent preterm labor, recognizing the warning signs is very important. If you experience any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor immediately:
– Persistent lower back pain that doesn’t improve with position changes or comfort measures
– Contractions every 10 minutes or less
– Cramping or abdominal pain similar to menstrual cramps, possibly accompanied by diarrhea
– Fluid leaking from the vagina
– Flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
– Increased pressure in the pelvis or vagina
– Increased vaginal discharge
– Vaginal bleeding, including light spotting
Monitoring contractions and when to see a doctor
To monitor contractions, place the tips of your fingers on your abdomen. If you feel your uterus tightening and relaxing, you are experiencing contractions. Note the start and end time of each contraction to calculate their frequency. If contractions occur every 10 minutes or more frequently, symptoms worsen, or you have severe and persistent pain, contact your doctor or midwife for guidance.
Treatment of preterm labor
If your doctor suspects preterm labor, you may need to be hospitalized. Treatment may include the following:
– Intravenous fluids
– Medications to relax the uterus and stop labor
– Medications to speed up the baby’s lung development
– Antibiotics to treat infections
In some cases, such as when labor cannot be stopped or if complications like infection or placental problems occur, you may need to deliver the baby early.
Prevention of preterm labor
Although preterm labor and birth cannot always be prevented, you can take steps to reduce your risk:
– Manage stress and seek support when needed
– Maintain good oral hygiene, as gum disease is linked to preterm labor
– Quit smoking
– Attend regular prenatal checkups
– Discuss your risk factors with your doctor and follow their recommendations
In some cases, your doctor may suggest progesterone therapy or cervical length monitoring to help prevent preterm labor.
Care of a premature baby
If your baby is born prematurely, they may require specialized care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Premature babies may grow and develop more slowly than full-term babies and are at a higher risk for certain health problems. However, with proper care and monitoring, most premature infants eventually catch up to their peers.
When caring for your premature baby at home, pay close attention to their feeding, sleep, breathing, body temperature, and any signs of jaundice or infection. If you have any concerns or notice symptoms that require medical attention, contact your doctor.
Article Categories
Children's health
Diseases and problems
Healthy nutrition and wellness
Women's health
Men's health
Treatment and prevention
Cancer
Mental health
Your general practitioner will now see you.
Instant health responses are provided by the general practitioner, because your health matters now.