FAQ
What is preterm birth?
Preterm birth refers to birth occurring prior to 37 weeks of gestation. In general, preterm infants born after 32 weeks have more mature lungs and may require a longer hospital stay postanatally than full term infants. However, babies born before 32 weeks often need neonatal intensive care, an incubator and life support instruments. However, many of the consequences of preterm birth extend beyond the hospital stay to affect the child's development.
What are the symptoms associated with preterm birth?
Symptoms of labour range from cramping pain, vaginal bleeding or waters breaking (a watery discharge from the vagina). If your doctor or midwife suspects preterm labour, they may perform a test called a fetal fibronectin test, which involves taking a swab from the vagina. However, even then, the test result is somewhat unreliable.
What treatments are currently available for preterm labour?
There are some treatments that may help delay the delivery, which may allow the baby a bit more time to grow. Bedrest and reduced exertion are often prescribed and important treatments.
Delaying delivery may also be attempted with the use of calcium channel blockers by decreasing contractions and beta-mimetics. Antibiotics promote or delay delivery by up to a week. A steroid injection may help speed up your baby’s development, helping with lung function.
What are the causes of preterm birth?
The causes of preterm birth are complex and multifactorial. We are still trying to understand why it happens. We know that it involves both biological and environmental factors. Possible causes include poor nutrition, infection, psychosocial stress, structural defects of the uterus and cervix and exposure to chemicals.
What is the cost of preterm birth?
Annual direct medical costs for caring for preterm infants to age 7 is $58 million. However, the true cost goes far beyond this, including additional health, social and education resources for these children. From the perspective of disability adjusted life years, preterm birth ranks ahead of cardiovascular disease as a global cause of lost human potential.
Where can I find more information about preterm birth?
Here are a few websites to get started: