Facts about Prematurity

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There has been a substantial growth in the premature birth of babies in the last few decades. There are serious implications and a lot of health related issues are associated with premature birth. These issues could be as serious as metal retardation, difficulty in breathing, defects in vision and hearing and cerebral palsy.

Although, the reason of a premature birth cannot be known completely but you can certainly do your bit to increase the chances of your baby completing a full term. The major cause of a premature birth is attributed to the body’s mechanism to fight against some bacterial infections like the ones in the uterus. When there is any such issue in the body labor is triggered due to the release of a hormone like substance. Since, women who have infections in their uterus have no problem in day to day life as well as there are no symptoms associated with them. It is thus very difficult to diagnose and cure it at an early stage.

Most of the preterm deliveries are done through a C-section. According to a study many premature births through C-section are not even necessary and done just because of personal choice. If you are planning to take this option make sure you analyze the risks and benefits of a c-section. Also, consult your doctor about your personal preferences and take a decision that is in the best interest of the mother and baby.

After doing all the things as mentioned in the books you may still have a premature delivery. Sometimes things do not happen the way you plan but you can definitely reduce any such risks by taking good care in the pregnancy period. Few good things that you can do to minimize such risks are

Consult a doctor and take a pre-conception checkup when you plan for a pregnancy. Such checkups are generally done to make out the heath related risk like Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) which generally cause a preterm birth. Make sure that you do not have any chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. If you know from your previous experiences that you are prone to a premature labor then you may also use a hormone called as progesterone during your pregnancy to prevent an early birth. You should keep yourself healthy and reach to a certain weight before you conceive. Both underweight and overweight women have higher chances of having premature labor.

For the safety of the mother and baby it is important to consult the doctor from time to time without missing any of your prenatal appointments. Regular checkup allow, closely monitoring the developments and ensuring a natural birth process.

Related posts:

1. Risks Associated with Inducing Labor
2. Important Facts about Labor Inductions
3. Causes of Premature Birth
4. Managing Premature Births
5. What scares the expecting mothers during childbirth? – Part 2
6. Do you have a Preterm Labor?
7. When is the Right Time to go to the Hospital
8. The Real Picture of Due Dates
9. An Overview on Labor Induction
10. Some interventions that could ease the Process of Labor – C-Section