Premature Labor- Causes, Risk Factors, Signs, Prevention And Treatment

Pregnancy is a period of joy and great expectations. However, it can also be a period of uncertainty. Therefore, staying watchful all through the pregnancy is vitally important. One of the vital events that can pop up (mostly) during the third trimester of pregnancy is preterm labor. Premature labor occurs in approximately 12% of all pregnancies. Nevertheless, by understanding and recognizing the signs and staying away from risk factors, an expecting mother can lessen her chances of going into labor before time.

What Is Premature Labor?

A normal pregnancy keeps going 38 to 40 weeks. Labor that starts around the 38th week of pregnancy is considered as normal. Preterm labor happens if the labor starts 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 labor, the baby will born before completing its development- as a preemie. The preemies experience several health issues, and some issues can be fatal too.

What Are The Causes Of Preterm Labor?

There is no specified reason for preterm labor, though research is still on in this field.. However, there are some medical issues, which can trigger preterm labor. 50% of preterm labors are spontaneous, which can occur out of blue when you are least expecting it. The preterm labor is mainly (but not limited to) caused due to:

Uterine bleeding that occurs due to the rupture of the fetal membrane because of the issues like placental abruption or placenta previa (when the placenta fully or partially covers the cervix) will trigger preterm labor
Physical and emotional stress can tamper with the endocrine system and result in the releasing of hormones, which trigger uterine contractions
Overly stretched uterus due to, multiple pregnancies, polyhydramnios, etc. can start the uterine contraction much earlier than the due date
As a consequence of some infections and associated inflammation, which happens in or progresses to the uterus, uterine contractions happen which can end in preterm labor

Hence, it is really significant to know the signs of preterm labor, especially if you belong to the “50%” who hold a medical risk (mentioned below) of undergoing labor far before the due date.

Am I At The Risk Of Preterm Labor?

Although the specific causes of premature labor are not yet known, certain factors (like some unhealthy lifestyle and medical conditions) may increase a woman’s risk of having premature labor. 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 a premature labor. Similarly, having no apparent reason for preterm labor does not mean that you are on the safe side either.
You are at greatest risk for premature labor if:

You have a case of multiple pregnancies
You are underweight
You have experienced multiple inexplainable abortions during the first and second trimester
You are having high blood pressure
You have unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking alcohol, etc.
You experienced preterm labor during your previous pregnancy
You develop anemia in the course of pregnancy
You are experiencing poly hydramnios
You got pregnant soon after your previous delivery
You put on too much weight or didn’t achieve optimum weight in the course of pregnancy
You are experiencing stress due to domestic abuse or other emotional issues that can trigger preterm labor
Your carreer demands physical and mental strain (like standing for a long time, unachievable targets, unsolvable financial issues, etc.)
You have other medical conditions like preeclampsia, UTI, abnormally structured uterus, gestational diabetes, cervical incompetence, etc.
Preterm births run in your family

If you experience any of the above risk factors, it is significant to recognize the symptoms of premature labor and what to do if it happens.

What Are The Signs Of Premature Labor?

Early recognition of preterm labor 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:

Abnormal cramps
Increased vaginal discharge with or without change in its appearance
Diarrhea without any known reasons
Persisting lower backache, which will not ease even after changing your position
More than four contractions per hour
Vaginal bleeding or spotting
Water break
Feeling pressure in pelvic area

Are There Any Tests That Can Predict Preterm Labor?

Yes, though not with 100% accuracy, there are some tests, which can predict the chances of premature labor. However, only when your doctor thinks that your chances of preterm labor are high, these tests are conducted.

Monitoring uterine contractions: Even though, on certain occasions, some doctors go for it, this is not a well-accepted procedure to predict the preterm labor. Uterine contractions can be monitored by wrapping a belt around the abdomen and being connected to a machine called a tocodynamometer. Uterine monitoring depends on the possibility that the recurrence of contractions (per hour) increases as the labor begins. Its drawback is that it cannot read mild contractions, which are relevant in predicting the possibility of preterm labor
Study of cervical sonography: Ultrasound pictures of the cervix during pregnancy have proved that cervical effacement starts many weeks before the delivery. It will happen around the 32nd week of normal pregnancy (a delivery that takes place around the 38th week of gestation) and as early as 16–24 weeks for preterm deliveries. Getting the measure of the cervix will also assist. A short cervix increases the risk of preterm labor
Detecting the amount of fetal fibronectin: Fibronectin, which acts as a paste that joins the fetal membranes to the underlying uterine decidua – the thick layer of reformed mucous membrane, which covers the uterine lining during pregnancy and is shed with the fetal membrane during delivery. Fibronectin is usually found in the cervicovaginal secretions prior to 16–18 weeks of pregnancy, and again towards the end of normal pregnancy (as laborapproaches). It is not normally found in the cervicovaginal secretions in between the 22nd and 37th weeks. The vaginal discharge is tested for this substance. An increased level of fibronectin indicates the chances of preterm labor

What Are The Possibilities Of Treating Preterm Labor?

No environment invented by the modern science could be as perfect as the mother’s womb. Hence, the priority of the treatment of preterm labor will be delaying the delivery as late as possible. Each day, each week, or even each hour that the baby spends in the uterus, increases his chance of survival and 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 labor.

The doctor will first check whether you are onto real labor
If not, she will weigh the signs of some other issues and the treatment will be concentrated on that one as otherwise, the chances are high that a preterm labor will follow
If the signs are of labor, the doctors will try their best to find a fast solution thereby, stopping the labor from progressing more
If the water breaks and you are not having a contraction, antibiotics will be given to prevent the possible infection and closely monitor mother and child and if they are healthy, will delay delivery as long as possible
The doctor will order strict rest. He will ask you to lie down on your left side for unhindered blood flow
Doctor will order to increase the intake of fluid, if needed he will start IV. Staying well hydrated is significant to delay the labor.
If the water does not break and the contractions start, fetal fibronectin test is conducted and diagnosed with preterm labor, your medical team will try to stop the contractions
If the preterm birth is inevitable, Tocolytics drugs will be given, which will help to delay the delivery for another 48 hours, which
will give an ample time to transfer the women to a hospital specializing in neonatal care

In between proceeding with the treatments to delay the labor 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:

Magnesium sulphate: To reduce the risk of the particular type of damage that can happen to the brain, which increases the chances of issues like cerebral palsy
Corticosteroids: To speed up the process of the lung development

How Can A Possible Preterm Labor be Prevented?

During your meeting with your doctor in the course of pregnancy, by analyzing your history, health, the way the pregnancy is progressing, if your doctor detects that you are prone to undergo preterm labor, there are some preventive measures that could be taken to prevent the contraction of the uterus and dilation of cervix. Preventive measures include:

Injections: Weekly progesterone injections (starting between the 16th and the 21st week of gestation) are found to be very helpful in delaying the pregnancy until the 37th week
Cerclage: Cervical incompetence is a condition in which the cervix dilates without any pain. It is most of the time discovered during the routine monthly visit. If not recognized on right time it can result in pregnancy loss or preterm labor, which ends with premature delivery. In such cases, the doctor will place a stitch around the cervix – cerclage. If the cervical incompetence is diagnosed for the first time, it is implemented during the second trimester. Whereas, if you have a previous history, the placement of cerclage will be done by the end of first trimester itself
No to sex and travel: Restricting sexual activities and long travels (especially on bumpy roads) are other preventive measures
Lie down on your side: Never lie down on your back, especially if you are at the risk of preterm labor. Lie down preferably inclining towards the left side

Preterm labor does not necessarily meant premature birth. Around 30% to 50% of woman who develop preterm labor are found to complete their pregnancy successfully with appropriate medical care.