Premature delivery is the condition in which the delivery happens more than 3 weeks before the estimated due date of delivery. Otherwise, it is the delivery before the 37th week of pregnancy. Premature babies, especially those born very early may have many complicated medical conditions. Complications may vary with babies. But the earlier your baby is born, the higher the chance of complications. Preterm babies and premature delivery are the same. Preterm babies are of 4 types.
- Late preterm: Born between 34- 36 weeks of pregnancy
- Moderately preterm: Between 32-34 weeks of pregnancy
- Very preterm: Born less than 32 weeks of pregnancy
- Extremely preterm: Born at or less than 25 weeks of pregnancy
Labor is the process your body goes through to give birth to a baby. Preterm babies are born by premature delivery.
Premature or preterm delivery is one of the nightmares a woman might face. Premature delivery can lead to many complications in newborn babies like low birth weight, respiratory problems, infections, need of NICU, etc. There can be unfortunate loss of lives of newborn babies due to lack of essential neonatal care. Premature delivery is mostly an unacceptable event for parents and a challenging situation for clinicians. Only an expert and efficient medical practitioner can assist you with proper guidance and medications to save you from facing such complications. Immediate consultation and management is required if any warning symptoms of premature labor like leaking per vagina, pain in abdomen etc. are experienced by pregnant women. Only a reputed and sophisticated healthcare platform having ample infrastructure can assist you in such a dreadful situation. Urvaraa IVF is one such premium healthcare platform that has sufficient infrastructure to take care of your preterm babies. Our celebrated and renowned physicians can handle such complicated situations with care and expertise. If you are facing any such situation, don’t worry, we are here to assist you in the most fruitful manner. In fact, we have the best and experienced specialist to manage premature delivery complications. We offer you the best treatment for premature delivery complications in Kolkata.
Signs and symptoms of premature labor:
- Change in your vaginal discharge, it may be watery, mucus or bloody or more vaginal discharge than usual.
- Pressure in your pelvis and lower abdomen, due to the downward push by the baby.
- Constant low and dull backache.
- Cramps in the lower abdomen with or without diarrhea.
- Regular and frequent contracts that make your belly too tight. Contractions may or may not be painful.
- Water breaks
- On Transvaginal examination- thinning and opening of the cervix for labor. The ultrasound can monitor how strong and far apart the contractions, if present.
If you are about to preterm delivery, then your doctor may try to prevent it or take measures to improve the health of your baby.
Reasons for premature delivery and preterm baby:
- If you have had premature labor in the past
- If you are pregnant with multiples
- Problem with your uterus or cervix now or in the past
- Being underweight or overweight before pregnancy or eating disorder
- If there is a family history of premature delivery
- Getting pregnant again too soon after the first delivery. Doctors suggest that you have to wait at least 18 months after the first delivery.
- Certain health conditions can cause premature delivery or premature birth.
- Connective tissue disorder
- Diabetes mellitus
- High blood pressure and preeclampsia
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Thrombophiliasis can increase the risk of blood clots which may lead to complications.
- Bleeding from the vagina in the second or third trimester.
- Smoking, alcohol, and drugs
- Being younger than 17 and older than 35 may cause premature delivery.
Prevention of premature labor:
- Get to a healthy weight before pregnancy and gain normal weight during pregnancy.
- Avoid the use of alcohol, smoke, and illegal drugs.
- If you feel that you are pregnant, then go for the prenatal checkup as soon as possible.
- Take treatment for chronic medical conditions like diabetes, BP and depression.
- Protect yourself from infections.
- Wait at least 18 months before the second pregnancy.
FAQs or frequently asked questions on Premature Delivery
It is difficult for medical professionals to predict if a woman having preterm labor will have a premature delivery. Very few among the women having preterm labor will give birth within 7 days. In some women, preterm delivery stops on its own.
If the pattern of labor continues, then the doctors have to decide how would be the management is based on what will be best for the good health of the mother and the fetus. If there is a chance for the baby to get benefit in delaying the delivery, then certain medications may be given like corticosteroids, magnesium sulfate, etc.premature delivery. Very few among the women having preterm labor will give birth within 7 days. In some women, preterm delivery stops on its own.
These are drugs that cross the placenta and helps speed up the development of the lungs, brain and digestive organs. Corticosteroids can better help the fetus when they are 24 weeks of pregnancy and 34 weeks of pregnancy.
The organs of the baby developed near the end of pregnancy. If the baby born too early, the organs will not develop completely and the organs cannot work properly outside the womb. It will cause complications to the baby.
Fetal fibronectin testing is a reliable test to measure fetal fibronectin, which is a glue that holds the baby within the uterus. When the body gets ready for labor, thus glue breaks down and leaks into the vagina.