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Premature birth or preterm birth occurs when a baby is born before 37 weeks of gestation. This is due to health issues in the mother, including diabetes, high blood pressure, infections, or a history of premature birth in the family. Premature babies face health challenges like low body weight, underdeveloped organs, and breathing difficulties, which necessitate specialised care in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
As per statistics and data, around 13.4 million babies were preterm infants in the year 2020. When a normal pregnancy usually takes 37 weeks of gestational period, a premature baby born before the completion of 37 weeks. Premature newborns may have to face health complications, which has also led to the premature death of around 9 lakh babies in 2019, which occurs mostly under the age of 5.
Such a high number of infant mortality in premature babies is an alarming situation for all those mothers and families having a premature newborn. Causes of premature birth can be many, including spontaneous reasons. With proper health monitoring and guidance from a doctor, the situation can be controlled, or the baby can be nourished better so it grows healthy. This article helps you understand the causes of preterm birth and related complications.
A premature baby is an infant born before the completion of 37 weeks of pregnancy. In a normal pregnancy, a baby is born at around 37-40 weeks. Doctors suggest mothers be extra careful in the concluding weeks of pregnancy as it is crucial for the overall development of the baby. A premature baby may experience physical or mental problems which may require long-term medical attention.
A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, and if the birth takes place before the 37th week of pregnancy, it is a premature birth. According to research, if a baby is born after 39 weeks of pregnancy, it is less likely to spend time in the NICU. Premature or preterm babies have severe health problems. The earlier the baby is born, the higher the risk of health challenges.
Here are the four stages of premature birth:
Reasons for premature birth can be many. Let's understand premature delivery reasons:
The health of the child bearer has a lot to do with the health of the baby. Health problems in the mother can directly impact her pregnancy and may lead to preterm labour complications. The health conditions that can be the cause of premature labour are:
If the mother is not having a sufficient nutritional diet during and before pregnancy, it can cause premature birth of the baby. So, make sure to have a healthy diet. You may also consult your doctor for better advice.
Intoxicants like smoking, alcohol consumption, or illegal drugs are harmful to anyone at any point in life. It can be especially harmful for pregnant women. Hence, it is best to stop consuming intoxicants when you start planning pregnancy.
Some women may catch infections during pregnancy, which may become preterm labour causes. It may include infections in the urinary tract, amniotic membrane, etc.
It may also happen that women with a history of premature birth in a previous pregnancy may be at a higher risk of low birth weight and prematurity. Proper healthcare and medical attention can be helpful.
Apart from the aforementioned, several other complications may also be reasons for premature labour, like weak cervix opening, abnormal uterus, unhealthy weight, etc. Also, early pregnancy, like those in 16-17 years of age or above 35 years of age, may be the causes of preterm labour.
Preterm labour symptoms can be hard to distinguish from normal pregnancy symptoms. Therefore, it is important to get your possible symptoms checked out by your healthcare practitioner. Here are the signs and symptoms of preterm labour in women:
Hence, if you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to contact your healthcare provider immediately to assess the situation and get appropriate care.
A baby is expected to be healthy when the gestational period goes normal up to 37-40 weeks. However, if the baby is born early, health complications are expected with the baby. The sooner the baby is born, the higher the chances of premature birth complications, like:
A premature baby needs additional care and continuous observation. Here are a few ways by which you can take care of your premature baby:
Pregnancy is a joyous journey that needs women and families to be extra careful. Some days can be great, while some may be sick and filled with mood swings. All of these changes make it obvious for you to be worried about your baby’s health around this time. Soon-to-be moms must keep a tab on every important detail, including nutritional intake, physical exercise needed, and a happy mood. These ensure your baby and you are healthy. Health issues and poor life habits of the women may lead to preterm causes. Hence, it is quintessential for both the baby and the mother to have a healthy lifestyle. Also, regular medical check-ups are a must.
Pregnancy is a phase that should be filled with enjoyment, good health, and blessings for the coming member. Negligence, poor lifestyle, and ignorance of health complications may all lead to pregnancy complications. These may become reasons for preterm labour. Hence, the basic step is to stay healthy.
However, you need to keep in mind that sometimes, no matter how careful you are, there will be things that are beyond your control. But you can take a charge of things that you can fix and plan accordingly like investing in a health plan at the right time.
Once you have started planning for a family, make sure to invest in a maternity health plan like those offered by Care Health Insurance. It ensures you have strong financial support in times of need.
>> Also Read: How to Get Newborn Baby Health Insurance Cover?
Disclaimers: Plan features, benefits, coverage, and claims underwriting are subject to policy terms and conditions. Kindly refer to the brochure, sales prospectus, and policy documents carefully.
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