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Pregnancy is a period of joy and great expectations. However, it can also be a period of uncertainty. Therefore, staying watchful all through pregnancy is vitally important. One of the vital events that can pop up (mostly) during the third trimester of pregnancy is preterm labour. Premature labour occurs in approximately 12% of all pregnancies. Nevertheless, by understanding and recognising the signs and staying away from risk factors, an expecting mother can lessen her chances of going into labour before time.
A normal pregnancy keeps going 38 to 40 weeks. Labour that starts around the 38th week of pregnancy is considered as normal. Preterm labour happens if the labour begins before the 37th week of pregnancy. The uterine contractions and the dilation and thinning out of the cervix will start. This can be considered as a medical emergency, and immediate medical attention is inevitable, because, if no necessary steps are taken to delay the labour, the baby will bear before completing its development- as a preemie. The preemies experience several health issues, and some problems can be fatal too.
There is no specified reason for preterm labour, though research is still on in this field. However, there are some medical issues, which can trigger preterm labour. 50% of preterm labours are spontaneous, which can occur out of blue when you are least expecting it. The preterm labour is mainly (but not limited to) caused due to:
Hence, it is really significant to know the signs of preterm labour, mainly if you belong to the “50%” who hold a medical risk (mentioned below) of undergoing labour far before the due date.
Although the specific causes of premature labour are not yet known, certain factors (like some unhealthy lifestyle and medical conditions) may increase a woman’s risk of having early labour. What you have to keep in mind is that just because a few risk factors explained below are closely connected to you or are experienced by you, it does not mean that you are definitely going to undergo premature labour. Similarly, having no apparent reason for preterm labour does not mean that you are on the safe side either.
You are at the highest risk for premature labour if:
If you experience any of the above risk factors, it is significant to recognise the symptoms of premature labour and what to do if it happens.
Early recognition of preterm labour is hard as the initial symptoms are often gentle and normally take place in the course of normal pregnancy too. Therefore, usually, women wait until their next appointment to mention it to the doctor, or, even dismiss the early warning signs as “normal occurrence” in pregnancy. The warning signs include:
Yes, though not with 100% accuracy, there are some tests, which can predict the chances of premature labour. However, only when your doctor thinks that your chances of preterm labour are high, these tests are conducted.
No environment invented by modern science could be as perfect as the mother’s womb. Hence, the priority of the treatment of preterm labour will be delaying the delivery as late as possible. Every second the baby spends in the uterus counts. It significantly increases the chance of the survival of the baby. It also decreases the chances and the intensity of the possible lifetime health challenges. You necessarily do not have to experience all the symptoms. A lot of times Braxton Hicks contractions are mistaken for preterm labour.
In between proceeding with the treatments to delay the labour and delivery, certain medicines are administrated to make the baby strong enough to survive a preterm birth. The most commonly used medicines are listed below:
During your meeting with your doctor in the course of pregnancy, by analysing your history, health, the way the pregnancy is progressing, if your doctor detects that you are prone to undergo preterm labour, there are some preventive measures that could be taken to prevent the contraction of the uterus and dilation of the cervix. Preventive measures include:
Preterm labour does not necessarily mean premature birth. Around 30% to 50% of woman who develops preterm labour are found to complete their pregnancy successfully with appropriate medical care.
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