Premature Birth
Premature births are those babies that are born less than 37 weeks along According to the March of Dimes about 12 percent of babies in the United States are born preterm Approximately 84 percent are born between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation Roughly 10 percent are born between 28 and 31 weeks and about 6 percent are born at less than 28 weeks of gestation Prematurity is the leading cause of death in newborns during the first month of lifeThere are many risk factors that may help explain why women go into labor early However nearly half of all premature births occur for unknown reasons
Here are some factors that can put you at risk
1. Delivering a previous premature baby
2. Having an infection such as a urinary tract infection beta strep STD or bladder infection
3. Having uterine or cervical complications
4. Being younger than 17 or older than 35
5. Being AfricanAmerican and or economically poor
6. Receiving late or no prenatal care
7. Smoking drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs
8. Being a victim of domestic violence or having little or no social support
9. Being stressed
10. Working long hours or performing a job that requires long periods of standing or walking
11. Being obese or underweight before your pregnancy
12. Carrying multiple babies or carrying a baby with a certain type of birth defect
13. Being diagnosed with high blood pressure or clotting disorders
14. Undergoing in vitro fertilization
15. Waiting a short amount of time between pregnancies less than 69 months
You also may also be induced before your baby is at fullterm if your health or your babys health is in jeopardy Health complications that may require an early induction include
1. Preeclampsia
2. Pregnancyinduced hypertension
3. Maternal diabetes
4. Heart disease
5. Placental abruption when the placenta detaches early from the uterine wall
Your care provider will try very hard to stop preterm labor However if your membranes rupture he she may have no choice but to deliver your baby It is vital if you are going into preterm labor that it is caught quickly If you experience any labor symptoms before 37 weeks you need to contact your care provider immediately If your cervix is dilating or you are having real contractions and not Braxton Hick contractions your care provider may put you on bed rest This can mean anything from not being allowed to get out of bed to being able to move around your house and sit up in bed or on the couch Your care provider may also use certain medicines to halt labor Terbutaline is used to relax the uterus Terbutaline may be given to you as a shot when if you come into the hospital You can also take in pill form every couple of hours in your home If labor does not stop your doctor may give you magnesium sulfate through an IV Magnesium sulfate will relax all of your muscles You will be required to stay in bed be on a fetal monitor and have your blood pressure monitored There is a great deal of debate about the effectiveness of magnesium sulfate If labor cannot be halted your doctor may give you corticosteroids to help mature your babys lungs You can find more information about the complications of prematurity at March of Dimes Respiratory Distress Syndrome RDS is a breathing difficultly many babies born before 34 weeks have Babies with RDS may need additional oxygen and mechanical breathing assistance to help them breathe The sickest or most premature babies may need a respirator
Jaundice happens when preemies livers are too immature to process a waste called bilrubin Though fullterm babies may become slightly jaundiced premature babies are more sensitive to the effects of excess bilrubin Too much bilirubin can cause brain damage though with medical technology this is usually prevented
Apnea occurs when babies stop breathing for 20 seconds or more It may be accompanied by a slow heart rate Preemies are constantly monitored for apnea If your baby stops breathing in the NICU the nurse will stimulate your baby to help him her start breathing again One of the monitors your baby may be attached to in the NICU checks for apnea Intraventricular hemorrhage IVH is bleeding in the brain and occurs in the most premature babies While IVH can cause brain damage many brain bleeds resolve themselves with no or few long term complications
Patent ductus arteriosus PDA is a heart problem fairly common in premature babies A large artery in the heart called the ductus arteriosus may not develop properly It can lead to heart failure and lack of oxygen to the organs
Retinopathy of prematurity ROP is an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye It can cause damage to the retina of the eye vision loss or blindness
Preemies are often are anemic which means they do not have enough red blood cells Anemic babies may develop feeding problems and can have exacerbated heart or breathing difficulties
Premature babies are more prone to infections and viruses Preemies are more likely to contract pneumonia sepsis and meningitis
Premature births are those babies that are born less than 37 weeks along According to the March of Dimes about 12 percent of babies in the United States are born preterm Approximately 84 percent are born between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation Roughly 10 percent are born between 28 and 31 weeks and about 6 percent are born at less than 28 weeks of gestation Prematurity is the leading cause of death in newborns during the first month of lifeThere are many risk factors that may help explain why women go into labor early However nearly half of all premature births occur for unknown reasons
Here are some factors that can put you at risk
1. Delivering a previous premature baby
2. Having an infection such as a urinary tract infection beta strep STD or bladder infection
3. Having uterine or cervical complications
4. Being younger than 17 or older than 35
5. Being AfricanAmerican and or economically poor
6. Receiving late or no prenatal care
7. Smoking drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs
8. Being a victim of domestic violence or having little or no social support
9. Being stressed
10. Working long hours or performing a job that requires long periods of standing or walking
11. Being obese or underweight before your pregnancy
12. Carrying multiple babies or carrying a baby with a certain type of birth defect
13. Being diagnosed with high blood pressure or clotting disorders
14. Undergoing in vitro fertilization
15. Waiting a short amount of time between pregnancies less than 69 months
You also may also be induced before your baby is at fullterm if your health or your babys health is in jeopardy Health complications that may require an early induction include
1. Preeclampsia
2. Pregnancyinduced hypertension
3. Maternal diabetes
4. Heart disease
5. Placental abruption when the placenta detaches early from the uterine wall
Your care provider will try very hard to stop preterm labor However if your membranes rupture he she may have no choice but to deliver your baby It is vital if you are going into preterm labor that it is caught quickly If you experience any labor symptoms before 37 weeks you need to contact your care provider immediately If your cervix is dilating or you are having real contractions and not Braxton Hick contractions your care provider may put you on bed rest This can mean anything from not being allowed to get out of bed to being able to move around your house and sit up in bed or on the couch Your care provider may also use certain medicines to halt labor Terbutaline is used to relax the uterus Terbutaline may be given to you as a shot when if you come into the hospital You can also take in pill form every couple of hours in your home If labor does not stop your doctor may give you magnesium sulfate through an IV Magnesium sulfate will relax all of your muscles You will be required to stay in bed be on a fetal monitor and have your blood pressure monitored There is a great deal of debate about the effectiveness of magnesium sulfate If labor cannot be halted your doctor may give you corticosteroids to help mature your babys lungs You can find more information about the complications of prematurity at March of Dimes Respiratory Distress Syndrome RDS is a breathing difficultly many babies born before 34 weeks have Babies with RDS may need additional oxygen and mechanical breathing assistance to help them breathe The sickest or most premature babies may need a respirator
Jaundice happens when preemies livers are too immature to process a waste called bilrubin Though fullterm babies may become slightly jaundiced premature babies are more sensitive to the effects of excess bilrubin Too much bilirubin can cause brain damage though with medical technology this is usually prevented
Apnea occurs when babies stop breathing for 20 seconds or more It may be accompanied by a slow heart rate Preemies are constantly monitored for apnea If your baby stops breathing in the NICU the nurse will stimulate your baby to help him her start breathing again One of the monitors your baby may be attached to in the NICU checks for apnea Intraventricular hemorrhage IVH is bleeding in the brain and occurs in the most premature babies While IVH can cause brain damage many brain bleeds resolve themselves with no or few long term complications
Patent ductus arteriosus PDA is a heart problem fairly common in premature babies A large artery in the heart called the ductus arteriosus may not develop properly It can lead to heart failure and lack of oxygen to the organs
Retinopathy of prematurity ROP is an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye It can cause damage to the retina of the eye vision loss or blindness
Preemies are often are anemic which means they do not have enough red blood cells Anemic babies may develop feeding problems and can have exacerbated heart or breathing difficulties
Premature babies are more prone to infections and viruses Preemies are more likely to contract pneumonia sepsis and meningitis
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