How to prevent premature labor, is it possible?

prevention of premature birth

Having a premature baby presents many physical and emotional challenges for the mother, so it is very normal if you want to have another child, if you will be at risk of going through another premature birth. Preterm labor is one of the biggest risk factors for having another premature baby.

The risk increases when mothers have had more than one preterm delivery and decreases when mothers have a full-term pregnancy after preterm delivery. A mother of a premature baby has about a 15% chance of having another; a mother who has had two premature babies has about a 40% chance of having another, and a mother who has had three preterm babies has a nearly 70% chance of having another preterm birth.

The numbers discussed above are related to mothers who had a spontaneous preterm birth. It is necessary to know the realities that you may face if you want to have another child. If you think you may be at risk of having another premature baby, then it is reasonable that you want to focus on how to reduce your risk.

prevent preterm labor

Prevent preterm labor after you've had one

Although the risk of having another premature baby is significant, having a premature baby does not mean that you will have another 100% chance. Many risk factors can be reduced or eliminated before you decide to try again. However, it is worth noting that mothers who had medically indicated preterm births are at increased risk of future preterm births, due to the same medical problems that led to the first preterm birth.

A 2006 study found that the odds of preterm birth for mothers with a history of preterm birth with a prior medical indication are 2 times higher than those who had never had a preterm birth, compared to 5 times more likely for those with a history of spontaneous preterm birth compared to the group without a history of preterm birth.

How to prevent it

If you want to prevent it from happening to you again, although you cannot prevent it 100%, you can reduce the chances of it happening to you. If you have already had a previous preterm labor, then follow the tips below.

  • Wait to conceive. If you've already had a preterm baby, experts recommend that you wait at least 18 months before trying to conceive again. The risk of having a second premature baby is higher when pregnancies are closer and lower when they are further apart.
  • Stop smoking. Smoking increases the risk of having a premature birth. Quitting smoking during pregnancy or before conception is one of the best decisions for your health, as well as for your health. Baby and to reduce the risk of having another premature baby.

pregnant woman

  • Treat infections. If you have inflammations or infections they can play an important role in premature labor. The exact relationship is not known, but experts agree that any bacterial infection during pregnancy should be treated early. However, antibiotics are not recommended for non-symptomatic infections.
  • Avoid dieting. Women who lose a large amount of weight between pregnancies are at increased risk of preterm delivery during the second pregnancy. Women with a body mass index of less than 19,8 kg / m 2 are also at increased risk of preterm birth, so they must maintain a healthy weight.
  • Watch your health. Perhaps you have other conditions that can cause premature labor such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease ... you will have to have a good medical follow-up to reduce the risk of your baby arriving early.

When does the doctor have to intervene

Unfortunately, medical science has not found a sure way to prevent 100% of premature births. In recent years, a lot of research has been done on how to detect, prevent, and stop preterm labor, and some reassuring findings have been reported for many families.


Detection

Recent discoveries help doctors determine if a woman may be at risk for impending preterm labor. A cervical ultrasound is very successful in detecting early signs and can be evaluated from the 16th week of pregnancy. There are also studies that on the mother's blood and vaginal secretions can help predict the risk of preterm birth more accurately.

Progesterone prevention

Weekly injections of the hormone progesterone can help prevent preterm labor in mothers who have already had one. The injections usually start between the 16th and 20th weeks of pregnancy and continue until the 37th week.

premature labor sad woman

Cerclage prevention

For many years, a cerclage or suture has been used in the cervix to prevent preterm labor in women who have had a previous preterm delivery. This can be helpful.

Prevention with bed rest and medications

Although doctors often prescribe bed rest and medications for women who show signs of preterm labor, research has yet to find that they also don't help prevent preterm labor.

Knowing exactly what the risks of preterm labor are and how doctors can prevent or stop them can make the choice to get pregnant again a little easier for a woman who has already been through preterm labor to decide whether or not to have more children. have them. But remember that going through this once does not ensure that you will actually go through the same thing again ... And if you do, You will be much more controlled because you have already had premature births before and you will have greater control by the doctors.

Be that as it may, remember that the decision is yours and to have more children or not to have them, you must value it with your partner, but above all you, who are the one who has gone through this process and you know first-hand everything that is suffered. But everything can be much better.


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