Early birth

It is considered a premature birth when the baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The earlier the birth, the more serious the health risks for the baby. Babies born prematurely may need careful monitoring and special care to help them grow and develop outside the womb.

What Causes Premature Birth?

Premature birth can occur suddenly without any known reason. In this case, the specialist doctor may have to start the birth early.

The following situations can be shown as causes of premature birth:

• Cervical insufficiency
• The placenta blocks the birth path
• Multiple pregnancies such as twins or triplets
• Chronic health conditions including diabetes or infection
• Alcohol and cigarette consumption
• Preeclampsia (pregnancy poisoning)
• Having had a premature birth in the past
• Problems with the uterus or cervix
• Too little time between pregnancies
• Less fluid consumption
• Vaginal bleeding or infections during pregnancy

What can be done to prevent premature birth?

• Going for regular prenatal check-ups, especially patients in the risk group may be called for more frequent check-ups,
• Eating healthy,
• Not smoking,
• Not less than 12 months between pregnancies,
• Taking precautions to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancy, especially in treatment pregnancies,
• Good control of chronic diseases before pregnancy (such as hypertension, diabetes, autoimmune disease).

When to Go to the Hospital?

Many pregnant women experience false contractions, but some contractions are real and lead to labor. Therefore, it is important for pregnant women to distinguish between false and real contractions regarding the symptoms of premature labor during pregnancy. Pain that does not ease with changing position, short-term and non-intensifying contractions are generally pseudo-contractions called Braxton Hicks. However, if the contraction felt is real, the pregnant woman experiences regular, consecutive and prolonged contractions of increasing intensity. In such contractions, speaking becomes difficult, bending forward becomes difficult, and the expectant mother feels tense and anxious. In these cases, where loss of appetite is also observed, what the expectant mother focuses her attention on may become unimportant.