Are you at the risk during your pregnancy? Here's a complete guide on Preterm labor- Signs, Symptoms, and Causes. 

Pre-term labor

If pregnant women experience regular contractions may lead to the cervix opening between 20 weeks to 37 weeks of pregnancy. Early labor can lead to preterm birth, which has a greater health risk for the baby. It is known as preterm or premature labor when your body starts getting ready for the child's birth too early during your pregnancy. Gradually proceeding further, if your doctor notices that you are on the verge of preterm labor, your doctor will warn you that it may occur approximately 3 weeks before your due date. According to the doctors, the longer your baby grows inside the womb, the healthier the baby will be after birth. Premature labor brings a lot of health risks for your little one. The newborn babies are put in the neonatal intensive care unit if a premature birth happens. Preemies (Premature babies) can also have long-term physical and mental disabilities.

Sign and Symptom of Pre-term labor

You must know about these warning signs and symptoms of preterm labor:

• Lower backache may be constant or persistent.
• Cramps in your lower abdomen (similar to menstrual cramps).
• Persistent and unbearable contractions
• Increased vaginal discharge/ pinkish fluid leaking
• Your water breaks
• Nausea/Diarrhea
• Increased pressure and pain in your pelvis
• Spotting/Vaginal bleeding

Risk Factors of Pre-term labor

If you notice the signs mentioned above, then you must immediately seek medical help. Preterm labor can affect any pregnancy, and many factors have been associated with preterm labor and increase the risk of it:

• Smoking/ illicit drugs
• Consuming alcohol
• Carrying twins, triplets, or multiples
• Shortened cervix
• You had preterm labor in your previous pregnancy
• Problems with the placenta or uterus
• Age of the mother (younger than 17 or older than 35 years)
• Excessive amniotic fluid
• Stressful life events (sudden loss of a loved one, job loss, or financial loss)
• Vaginal Discharge/bleeding or spotting
• No proper spacing in 2 pregnancies- An interval of fewer than 12 months/ more than 60 months
• Chronic conditions– Gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, or autoimmune disease.
• Being overweight or underweight before conceiving or during pregnancy
• If the pregnant woman was a preemie
• Have conceived with the help of IVF (In vitro fertilization)
• The congenital fetal disability, if any
• STDs
• Preeclampsia

Tips to enjoy healthy pregnancy

Nobody can predict the exact time of the birth of a child, but there's a lot one can do to prevent preterm labor. To enjoy healthy full-term pregnancy, you must keep in mind these unique tips that can be quite beneficial for an expecting mother:

• Eat a healthy nutritional balanced diet
• Avoid consuming alcohol, drugs, or smoking
• Plan your pregnancy well in advance if you are already a mother
• Regular visits to the doctor (prenatal visits) are essential
• Be careful while undergoing ART (Assisted reproductive technology)
• Carefully manage your chronic health conditions
• Spend some time in nature and practice yoga, and meditation under the supervision of an expert
• Check out for vaginal and uterine infections

If your gynecologist gets suspicious and determines that you're at an increased risk of premature labor, they might recommend you take several necessary steps to reduce the risk. Complications of preterm labor bring a lot of health concerns for both the mother and the child. Complications include underdeveloped organs, low birth weight, behavioral problems, Cerebral palsy when they grow old, breathing problems, vision problems, brain problems, blood problems, immune system problems, and many more.

Conclusion

Preterm labor cannot be controlled, but the risk can be significantly lowered with proper diet and lifestyle changes. Preterm labor induces increased health risks for the newborn baby and the mother. The complete growth and development of a baby occur inside a mother's womb, and if the baby comes out too soon, they require specific care measures.

References

Romero, R., Dey, S. K., & Fisher, S. J. (2014). Preterm labor: One syndrome, many causes. Science, 345(6198), 760–765. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1251816

Vrishali Suman, & Luther, E. E. (2019, January 14). Preterm Labor. Retrieved from Nih.gov website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536939/