Understanding Premature Birth

There is no woman on earth wanting to give birth to a premature baby exposed to different health problems. You can prevent by carefully observing your doctor's advice to decrease any chance of preterm labor, or accepting the possibility responsibly, giving it your best effort to deliver a healthy baby against the odds, when you know in advance that you are in risk of having a preterm birth.

Prevent premature birth and lifelong effects, is possible after a pre-pregnancy physical exam has revealed the risk of preterm labor. If you follow the doctor's recommendations, do not drink alcohol, quit smoking and avoid the use of illicit drugs, or non-prescribed and over the counter medications, you are more likely not to give birth until your due date.

Multivitamin supplements provide enough folic acid every day, which should be started as soon as you visit your doctor's office for pre-conception consultation, but it is never too late to include folic acid supplementation into your diet, along with a well-balanced food selection, complimented with a regular exercising routine.

Because every pregnancy is unique and each woman responds different from each other when it comes to diagnosing early labor, you may find that you are not at risk until the first symptoms appear. Because premature birth is the result of preterm labor, you need to identify these symptoms, and call your doctor immediately so he can help you to prevent the early delivery of the baby.

Before the 37th week of pregnancy, early labor symptoms begin with contractions every 10 minutes, and sometimes more often, associated with a sensation that your baby is pushing down. In fact, during those contractions you may have clear brownish or pink fluid leaking from your vagina.

In many pregnant women, these symptoms are also accompanied by cramps with or without diarrhea, similar to those of a menstrual period, and dull, low back pain. However, not all-premature birth can be prevented. In the United States, 1 out of every 8 babies are born weeks or even months too soon, whether preventive measures were taking to avoid it.

Premature birth is associated with effects and disease, which last a lifetime, if they do not kill the baby immediately after birth, or in the term of a few weeks later as result of birth defects or complications in lungs, heart, brain or other organs.

If the baby survives, the risk for heart defects, digestive problems, cerebral palsy, and other developmental problems are higher, and the special care that a premature baby needs in his first weeks and lately throughout a whole life can cost his parents extra money, energy and time.