Preventing Premature Birth: Tips for a Healthy Full-Term Pregnancy

A birth that occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy is known as preterm birth. Preterm labor complicates between 5% and 10% of pregnancies and is a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Dr. Loveleena Nadir, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rosewalk Healthcare, Delhi, shares her view:

Risk factors include:

1. Pregnancy of twins or triplets
2. An interval of less than six months between pregnancies.
3. Assisted reproduction treatment, for example IVF and ICSI
4. History of more than one spontaneous abortion.
5. History of previous premature births.
6. Problems with the uterus, cervix, eg short cervix, placenta previa.
7. Lower genital tract infections, sexually transmitted infections, urinary tract infections, e.g. e.g. , bacterial vaginosis
8. Gestational hypertension and dialects.
9. Lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcohol use, drug use, being overweight or underweight before pregnancy, stress, or getting pregnant before 17 and after 35.

Complications of prematurity in a baby could be:

1. Difficulty breathing due to being born with lungs that are not fully developed.
2. Heart problems and low blood pressure.
3. Risk of bleeding in the brain.
4. Inability to maintain body temperature due to lack of stored body fat.
5. The digestive system may not fully develop in premature babies.
6. They are at risk of developing neonatal anemia and jaundice.
7. Neurological problems such as cerebral palsy.
8. You may fall behind many milestones.
9. Vision and hearing may be affected.

Tips to prevent premature birth:

1. Avoid smoking, as it may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
2. Avoid alcohol and drugs. There is no safe limit for alcohol during pregnancy.
3. Get to a healthy weight before pregnancy.
4. Gain the right amount of weight during pregnancy.
5. Doctors may recommend progesterone supplements or perform a cervical cerclage if the need arises.