8 tips to avoid premature birth

You want your baby to be born healthy and strong. The closer to the due date, the better it is for the baby, as a premature birth can be associated with serious health complications. Medicine does what it can to help premature babies, but as an expectant mother, you must ensure that you rule out factors that could contribute to premature labor.

Consequences of premature birth

A full-term birth occurs between the 37th and 42nd week of pregnancy, when the baby is usually ready to live outside its mother's womb. Unfortunately, the number of births before the 36th week of pregnancy is increasing. Sometimes, the cause is healthy, random, and we have no influence over it. However, the mother's lifestyle often contributes to premature birth, which is why it is important for the expectant mother to take care of herself.

Babies born prematurely lose the protection the uterus offers them. They are not mature enough for life outside the womb. They are born with a lower weight, are weaker, and often have a digestive or respiratory system that is not yet fully developed. Sometimes they are not able to breathe on their own or feed themselves. Premature babies, especially those weighing less than 2 kg, are placed in incubators that simulate intrauterine conditions (temperature) and are connected to devices that help them breathe. Each week spent in the mother's womb is invaluable for the baby's future well-being.

Risk factors independent of the woman

There are risk factors that affect the possibility of premature birth and over which the woman has no influence. Giving birth before the due date is particularly dangerous if the pregnant woman:

• Has previously given birth prematurely or had miscarriages.
• Suffers from high blood pressure, heart disease, anemia, diabetes,
• Has thyroid problems,
• Suffers from cervical incompetence,
• Has anatomical malformations of the uterus or fibroids,
• Has a placental pathology (previous or detached),
• Suffers from pre-eclampsia,
• Suffers from a generalized infection (septicemia),
• Has been involved in an accident or suffered other serious injuries,
• Suffers from bleeding,
• Suffers from infections (e.g., urinary tract, dental),
• Is under 18 or over 35,
• Is pregnant with twins or more (multiple pregnancy),
  

Tips to avoid premature birth

Even if one of these risk factors applies to you, take this information as a warning, not as a fatality. In such a situation, it is extremely important to follow the recommendations to minimize the risk of premature birth.

1. Consult your doctor regularly

Even if you have given birth to two healthy full-term babies so far, it does not mean that complications will not arise during the third pregnancy. Never give up visits to the gynecologist; it is best if it is the same doctor throughout the pregnancy, someone who knows you and your body well. Medicine has made a lot of progress, which often lulls women; sometimes they underestimate the risk, assuming in advance that there is a solution to everything.

Prenatal care is extremely important, as it allows early detection of possible defects or threats to the pregnancy, such as premature contractions. Every expectant mother should benefit from good conditions and access to regular visits to the gynecologist, which significantly increases her chances of giving birth at term.

Bacterial infections associated with the urinary and genital tracts are particularly dangerous. Undetected or untreated in time, they can be a very serious cause of premature birth. Therefore, symptoms of inflammation should not be underestimated, and you should also have your urine checked regularly ( before each visit) because not all dangerous diseases have easily recognizable symptoms. If you are prone to bacterial infections, try to drink a lot (cranberry juice is particularly recommended), go to the toilet often and do not hold your urine.

2. Have your teeth examined and treated

During pregnancy, it is very important to take care of your teeth. The condition of the oral cavity can influence the course and end of the pregnancy. Prevention and treatment are necessary, as periodontal diseases and inflammation of the oral cavity can affect the general condition of the body and even cause premature contractions. Teeth often weaken during pregnancy due to the increased need for calcium, which is sometimes taken from bones and teeth. In addition, pregnant women often crave snacks (food residues remain in the mouth) and may vomit, which has a bad effect on enamel. You should consult your dentist regularly. At the beginning of the visit, it is essential to report your pregnant state, so that they use safe treatment methods.

3. Avoid stimulant substances

During pregnancy, smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking drugs is strictly prohibited. The components of tobacco smoke penetrate the baby's blood via the placenta, causing congenital malformations, serious poisoning, and also increasing the risk of premature birth. Do not let others smoke in your presence either. Drinking alcohol and consuming too much caffeine can lead to intoxication, as well as depriving you and your baby of important nutrients (magnesium is eliminated by diuretic coffee).

4. Adopt a balanced diet

Studies show that dietary deficiencies can affect premature birth. It is particularly important to provide yourself with proteins and minerals (iron, zinc, vitamin E, vitamin D, folic acid, DHA, iodine). The expectant mother must eat well, which significantly minimizes the risk of giving birth prematurely. In case of deficiencies, it is advisable to agree with your gynecologist to take a vitamin preparation suitable for pregnant women. This is particularly important for women at risk of anemia (iron) or those who are malnourished or underweight.

5. Gain weight correctly

Malnutrition can be one of the causes of premature birth. Very thin, underweight women are more likely to give birth prematurely. It is absolutely forbidden to lose weight during pregnancy. You should consume a few hundred calories more than before and control healthy weight gain.

6. Move regularly

If your pregnancy is going well, be physically active. Walk, go to the pool, enroll in yoga classes for pregnant women. Ask your doctor for advice on recommended forms of physical activity during pregnancy. However, give up typically traumatic sports, such as horseback riding or ice skating. During pregnancy, you should not stand or carry heavy loads for a long time, and remember not to lift an older child. Avoid excessive effort, take it easy.

7. Avoid stress

Try to stay calm, don't dwell unnecessarily on sorrows and problems. Stress causes the release of adrenaline, which can accelerate uterine contractions, as well as cause blood vessels to constrict and hinder blood circulation. Find an activity that brings you relief: a walk, a nap, a bath, a book or a good movie, and in weaker moments, allow yourself this pleasure, forgetting about worries.

8. Rest

Rested, it will be easier to stay calm. During the day, take advantage of your free time and lie on your side, as blood then circulates more efficiently through the placenta. Avoid excessive physical exertion, stress and fatigue. Symptoms of premature labor: when to go to the hospital immediately. You should always consult a doctor if you experience the following symptoms during a previously uneventful pregnancy:

• Pain in the lower abdomen or back, similar to menstruation or obvious uterine contractions;
• Bleeding, spotting (light bleeding), watery vaginal discharge;
• Symptoms of generalized infection: high fever, muscle pain;
• Abdominal trauma.
  

An urgent consultation with the treating physician is also required for vaginal discharge, itching, a burning sensation of the vulva and vagina, painful urination, and in fact, any worrying symptom noticed by the pregnant woman. If it is a severe respiratory infection, do not delay consulting an internist. If it is a dental problem, consult a dentist. It is wrong to believe that you cannot take medication during pregnancy! The risk associated with an infection is too great to wait for it to disappear on its own.