Preterm Birth: What it is, What Its Risks are to Babies
Most pregnancies range from 37 weeks to 42 weeks long. When
your baby is born within this timeframe, she or he is considered to be a
full-term infant. Any birth that comes before 37 weeks is considered premature,
A preterm birth is a risk for any baby, but the earlier the
birth occurs, the more dangerous it is. In the United States, about 12 percent
of babies are born preterm.
- 84 percent of preterm babies are born between 32 and 36
weeks (many of these babies do quite well, and can breathe and eat on their
own or with a little help)
- 10 percent are born between 28 and 31 weeks (these
babies usually weigh between 2 and 5 pounds)
- About 6 percent are born at less than 28 weeks (babies
in the older range usually weigh less than 3 pounds; those less than 26 weeks
often weigh only 1 or 2 pounds)
Being born early doesn’t simply mean that a baby is small.
The earlier a baby is born, the less likely it is that organs won’t be
developed. Babies born at a very early stage in pregnancy are more likely to
have lifelong disabilities, such as
- Cerebral palsy
- Mental retardation
- Digestive problems
- Lung problems
- Vision and hearing loss
Some of the common problems premature babies have when
they’re born include:
Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS): These babies
lack a protein called “surfactant,” which keeps small air sacs in the lungs from
collapsing. Babies born early can be treated with surfactant. This treatment
contributes to a much higher increase in survival rates among premature babies.
But sometimes, surfactant isn’t enough to prevent RDS. Babies who have this
condition may need to have a tube inserted to help them breathe. They also may
be treated with nitric oxide, which helps to relax the blood vessels in the
lungs, making breathing easier.
Apnea: This causes babies to stop breathing,
sometimes for as long as 20 seconds. Some people describe this as “forgetting to
breathe.” Premature babies are always monitored for this.
Bleeding in the brain: This occurs at the highest
rates in the youngest of premature babies. In most cases, this bleeding is not
serious, but in the more severe cases, pressure on the brain from the bleeding
can cause cerebral palsy or learning and behavioral problems.
Chronic lung disease: These babies generally need a
ventilator to help them breathe. They’re gradually weaned from the ventilator,
and often their lungs improve during the first two years of life. But often,
these babies develop chronic lung disease as they get older.
Other problems can include anemia, an immature immune
system that has trouble fighting infection and vision problems.
Signs and Symptoms of Pre-term Labor
Your labor is considered “pre-term” if it begins before
you’ve completed 37 weeks of your pregnancy. Call your doctor if you have even
one of these signs:
- Contractions every 10 minutes or less (a contraction
makes your abdomen feel tight)
- Blood or other fluid leaking from your vagina
- Pressure in your pelvis; a feeling that your baby is
- An ache in your lower back
- A crampiness that feels like your period
- Cramps in the abdomen that are or are not accompanied by
Your doctor is likely to either ask you to go to the office
or the hospital to be checked or to stop what you’re doing right away and rest.
Who’s at Risk for Giving Birth Prematurely?
Sometimes, a baby has to be born early because of
complications that arise during pregnancy or because of a health problem in the
mother. In cases like that, doctors induce labor. But most of the time,
premature labor begins for reasons that doctors don’t understand. Some
researchers believe that infection may be the cause, in the amniotic fluid or
the fetal membranes. But most of the time, doctors just aren’t sure why labor
begins early. And when it does, there’s often not much they can do to stop it.
Any pregnant woman can go into labor prematurely. But some
research has indicated that women are at higher risk of premature labor if:
- They’ve had a previous premature birth
- They are pregnant with more than one child
- They have certain conditions in the uterus or cervix
Additional women at risk for premature labor include:
- African-American women
- Women who are younger than 17 or older than 35
- Women with low incomes
Additional lifestyle factors that put women at risk for
premature labor include:
- Getting little or no care from a doctor when you’re
- Drinking alcohol
- Using illegal drugs
- Being a victim of domestic violence
- High stress levels
- Long work hours
- Little social support
Certain illnesses also increase a woman’s risk of premature
labor. These include:
- High blood pressure
- Clotting disorders
- Being obese or underweight before pregnancy
- Sexually transmitted disease
- Short period of time between pregnancies (6 to 9 months)
If your doctor suspects you might be likely to go into
labor early, you may receive steroids, such as surfactant, which can help the
lungs develop faster. You may also get a medication that can help postpone
The March of Dimes;
American College of Obstetrics.