What is a Preterm Birth?

By Teen Health Source

We talk a lot about pregnancy, and about supports for after giving birth, but what about things that can happen during the birthing process? This article covers some of what happens during a preterm birth.

Babies born between 37-41 weeks of gestation (which is the number of weeks a person has been pregnant) and are considered to be at “term.” A preterm birth (also known as premature birth) is when a birth takes place more than 3 weeks before the expected due date. Pretermbirth can be divided into 3 main sub-categories:

• Extremely preterm (before 28 weeks)
• Very preterm (28 to 32 weeks)
• Moderate to late preterm (32 to 37 weeks)

What happens if a baby is born preterm?

Immediately after giving birth, the healthcare team who aided in the delivery will make sure the baby is stable. Keeping the baby stable means providing them with support however they may need it. This sometimes looks like:

• Keeping the baby warm. Preterm babies are likely to get cold easily, so they’re sometimes placed under a heater or put on a heating mattress. If the baby is very small they may be placed inside a plastic wrap (up to the neck) until they can be moved to an incubator.
• Helping the baby breathe. Oxygen may be used to support breathing or a breathing tube may be inserted into their lungs.
• Monitoring the baby’s heart rate. If the baby’s heart rate is discovered to be low, it may be a sign that they need help breathing. A mix of air and oxygen may be given through a tube or a mask. In some cases, chest compressions may be given to ensure blood is being pushed to the heart.

If there are concerns about the baby’s health, a parent may not be able to hold them right away, or they will be able to hold them briefly before the baby is moved to a neonatal intensive care unit. This decision will likely be made pretty quickly by the health care team.

Are there long-term complications associated with preterm birth?

There is a chance that a preterm birth can potentially have impacts on a baby’s development, both physical and mental. This depends on a number of factors, such as how premature the birth was, the overall health of the baby, and their access to supports throughout their growth.

Babies born preterm are more likely to require early intervention and special education services. There is an increased risk of neurodevelopmental conditions such as Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), visual and hearing impairments, behavioral and social-emotional problems, depression and anxiety, and learning disabilities. Physical conditions that may appear later in life could include chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, asthma and cerebral palsy.

Knowing the Signs of Preterm Birth

In most cases, the exact cause of a preterm birth is unknown. However, there are some things that can be done to help reduce the risk of giving birth preterm, including:

• Avoiding smoking of any kind, drinking alcohol, or using drugs.
• Eating a balanced diet with foods containing iron and folic acid.
• Doing 30 minutes of exercise every day.
• Monitoring for medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
• Maintaining a supportive weight for your body throughout pregnancy.
• Lowering stress, both mental and physical.

It’s also generally recommended that pregnant people check in with their health care provider with any concerns about preterm birth. Additionally, it is recommended that pregnant people be aware of the following symptoms, and to contact their health care provider immediately they experience:

• Contractions, cramping, or tightening of your uterus occurring more than 4-5 times in an hour.
• Lower backache (consistent or inconsistent).
• Pressure in your vagina or pelvic region.
• Increased vaginal discharge or fluid leaking from your vagina.
• Any amount of vaginal bleeding.

Resource

• Ontario Fetal Centre
• Ontario Prenatal Education
• Sunnybrook – Centre for Preterm Birth

If you have questions about this topic, feel free to contact one of our peer educators. [Link]

Last Updated: May 2022