Premature birth of children had been the causing of grief to the millions of parents worldwide for centuries now. Fortunately today we are in a position to take proper care of a premature child which is not exactly the case a few decades back. Today’s premature birth treatments can help you provide proper health care to ensure the proper development of the child.
It is quite common for parents to have questions regarding premature births. So here are few frequently asked questions that can help you know about the premature birth:
What is premature birth?
While 40 weeks is the normal duration of a full-term pregnancy, if a baby is born before the 37th week of the pregnancy then the baby is considered as a premature baby and the birth is called premature birth in medical terminology.
Is premature birth common?
Premature births are very common in the early days when medical and preventive care are not as developed as they are now. Even today on an average one in every ten babies is born before 37-38 weeks of pregnancy.
What caused premature birth?
Premature birth can be caused by various risk factors. Though not all of the causes of premature birth are completely discovered, the following are the causes that account for more than 60% of premature births:
Infections during pregnancy: Urinary infection, viral illness, vaginal infections, gum diseases, respiratory infections are some of the common infections that are commonly identified in preterm birth cases.
Multiple births: The risk of premature birth increase with the increase in the number of babies carried by the mother. Multiple babies can sometimes tighten the uterus decreasing the blood flow resulting in early delivery.
Congenital abnormalities of the baby: Babies who develop abnormalities in the womb may also need early delivery. As they are already identified in screening tests, the doctor, however, can plan out the early delivery of the baby.
The health of the mother: Mothers with chronic health conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, or pregnancy-related illnesses like preeclampsia, bleeding or any other problems may need early delivery.
Can we prevent premature births today?
Premature birth treatments can help in treating the risk of prematurity. But prevention for premature birth is always better than cure. The first thing you can do is to make yourself aware of the prematurity, its symptoms, risk factors, complication. Adhering to good prenatal care, following the recommendations of your healthcare provider and making healthy life choices, taking regular screening tests can significantly improve your pregnancy which decreases your risk of premature birth.
How does premature birth impact the baby’s health?
A full-term pregnancy makes sure that the baby grows strong enough to thrive in the outside world. Premature birth may halt this development process and hence the babies can experience a few short term complications like breathing problems, anaemia, infections, heart problems, jaundice. Cognitive, growth and development problems may also occur in premature babies in the long term.
Fortunately today we live in a world where premature births can be successfully treated with specialized premature birth treatments. If you are in Mumbai are looking for premature birth treatment in Mumbai you can take help from Dr. Neelima Mantri an expert in the treatment of premature babies. You can find her here.