Risk of preterm birth: what you should do

risk of preterm birth

Preterm labor is one that occurs before the 37th week of gestation. They occur between 10-15% of pregnancies and can bring quite a few complications. They can occur for various reasons, so you have to be attentive to their signals to know how to act as soon as possible. Today we talk about What to do if there is a risk of premature delivery.

The problem of being born early

Normally, full-term pregnancies usually end between 37 and 40 weeks of pregnancy. It is the time that the baby needs to finish forming satisfactorily and without problems at birth. But this is not always possible, and many of the causes that cause it are beyond our control. That's why It is necessary to know how to act if we see symptoms of premature labor and ask for help as soon as possible.

Preterm deliveries occur before week 37, and its complications will be determined by how soon delivery occurs. Fewer weeks inside the mother, more complications there may be. These complications can not only affect you at birth, but they can affect you later in life. You are less likely to survive, at risk of mental retardation, cerebral palsy, respiratory and digestive problems, hearing and vision loss, delays in development and learning, among other problems.

What are the signs of preterm labor?

There are certain symptoms that may indicate that preterm labor may be occurring:

  • Change in vaginal discharge. If you notice that your discharge turns bloody or brownish in color.
  • Vaginal bleeding
  • Regular and frequent uterine contractions, with or without pain.
  • Breaking of the bag of waters.
  • Bellyache.
  • Abdominal cramps that may or may not be accompanied by nausea.
  • Mild and constant pain in the lower back.

If you feel any of these symptoms go to your health center to be examined by a doctor. Do a pelvic exam or ultrasound to see what state the cervix is ​​in. When the birthing process begins it begins to fade, which would be a clear sign of labor. The cervix is ​​the canal that connects the uterus where the baby is with the vagina, and where the baby will be born in case of vaginal delivery.

As well they will control your contractions in a monitored way to see exactly its intensity and duration. They may make you other tests to check if you are actually in labor or not. If this is the case, treatment is normally applied if possible, to stop labor and make the baby stay inside as long as possible. Actions to improve the health of the baby can also be applied if it comes out early. It will be your doctor who will determine what actions to take to take care of both your health and that of your baby.

risk of delivery early

What can cause risk of preterm birth?

It is not always known that it has caused premature labor. Sometimes it happens without there being any previous complication. But if there is certain risk factors that can make you more likely to have a preterm birth.

  • If you have already suffered a premature birth before.
  • If you are pregnant with two or more babies.
  • If you have problems with the uterus or cervix.
  • Being overweight or underweight.
  • Family history of premature births.
  • Getting pregnant too soon after having another baby.

Just because you have any of these risk factors does not mean that you will have a premature delivery. It is simply a risk factor to consider. If you have any risk factors, your doctor will advise you to reduce the risk and will do the necessary control to be watched. Today with new technologies more and more premature babies survive.


Because remember ... not everything is under our control and we must accept that these things happen. Do not feel guilty if it has been because you have not done anything wrong. Sometimes it just happens.


Be the first to comment

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*

  1. Responsible for the data: Miguel Ángel Gatón
  2. Purpose of the data: Control SPAM, comment management.
  3. Legitimation: Your consent
  4. Communication of the data: The data will not be communicated to third parties except by legal obligation.
  5. Data storage: Database hosted by Occentus Networks (EU)
  6. Rights: At any time you can limit, recover and delete your information.