Premature Birth

Preterm or premature birth or delivery is a birth that is before 37 weeks of the pregnancy or more than three weeks before a baby's due date.

Throughout the course of a 40-week pregnancy there are many important growth and developments including the final months and weeks of the pregnancy. Although most babies born a few weeks early do well with no health consequences, the earlier they are born, the more health problems they have than full-term babies. 

A premature or preterm baby is more likely to have certain complications such as:

• Brain issues
• Lung issues 
• Bowel problems
• Jaundice
• Longer hospital stays

Risk Factors
Many premature births happen without risk factors, even if a woman does everything "right." There are still risk factors that increase the risk of preterm birth. They include:

• Prior preterm birth
• Multiples (twins, triplets, etc)
• A short cervix
• Prior cervical surgery
• Certain infections
• Polyhydramnios (too much amniotic fluid)
• Certain ethnic groups such as black race
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Cigarette smoking 
• Alcohol use 

Women can do certain things to help their health and lower the risk of having a premature baby. These include:

• Quit smoking and avoid substances such as alcohol or drugs. 
• See your health care provider for a medical checkup before pregnancy. 
• Work with your health care provider to control diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes. 
• Get prenatal care early, as soon as you think you may be pregnant, and throughout the pregnancy. 
• Discuss concerns during pregnancy with your health care provider, and seek medical attention for any warning signs or symptoms of preterm labor. 

Doctors sometimes decide to deliver a baby early because of concerns for the health of the mother or the baby. Medical intervention for an early delivery should only be considered when there is a medical reason to do so.

The more preterm a baby is born, the more severe his or her health problems are likely to be. Although babies born very preterm are a small percent of all births, preterm delivery is the most frequent cause of infant deaths. Some premature babies require special care and spend weeks or months hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Those who survive may face lifelong problems such as:

• Intellectual disabilities
• Cerebral palsy
• Breathing and respiratory problems
• Vision and hearing loss
• Feeding and digestive problems

Warning Signs of Preterm Labor
In most cases, preterm labor begins unexpectedly and with no known cause. The warning signs are:

• Contractions (abdomen tightens like a fist) every 10 minutes or more often
• Change in vaginal discharge (leaking fluid or bleeding from the vagina)
• Pelvic pressure—the feeling that the baby is pushing down
• Low, dull backache
• Cramps that feel like a menstrual period
• Abdominal cramps with or without diarrhea