Symptoms and treatment of Preterm labor

Description

Preterm labor occurs when the contractions cause the cervix to open after week 20 and before week 37 of pregnancy.

Preterm labor can result in a baby that is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The previous installment, the greater the health risks for the baby. Many premature babies, so-called premature, they need special care in a neonatal intensive care unit. Premature babies also can have long-term physical and mental health concerns.

The cause of preterm labor often isn't clear. Certain risk factors that may increase the likelihood of a premature birth. But the work of premature birth can happen without any known risk factors.

Symptoms

Symptoms of preterm labor include:

Regular or frequent feelings of belly tightening, called contractions.
Bored of low back pain.
A feeling of pressure in the pelvis or the lower part of the belly.
Mild spasms in the stomach.
Vaginal spotting or light bleeding.
A gush or a constant flow of fluid after the sac that surrounds the fetus, called the fetus, rips or tears.
The liquid from the vagina that is watery, bloody, or full of mucus.

When to see a doctor

If you have symptoms of preterm labor, or you are concerned about how you feel, contact your healthcare provider immediately. Your healthcare provider can find out if you are in premature labor, or discard. Discard it might ease your mind.

Risk factors

Preterm labor can affect any pregnancy. But there are many factors that can increase the risk of premature birth. Include the following.

Medical history

Preterm labor or preterm birth in previous pregnancies. The risk is greater if this happened in the most recent pregnancy, or in more than one pregnancy.
Shortens the neck of the uterus.
Problems with the uterus or placenta.
Certain infections. This is mainly true of infections of the amniotic fluid and of the lower genital tract.
Some of the current condition, called chronic conditions. These include high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and depression.

Pregnancy problems

Pregnancy of twins, triplets or other multiples.
Too much amniotic fluid. The medical term for this is polyhydramnios.
Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy.
Less than 18 months between pregnancies.
The pregnancy before the age of 17 or after 35 years of age.
Pregnancy through assisted reproductive technology. This increases the risk of premature birth if the results in a fetus or more.

Other factors

Smoking or the use of illegal drugs.
Stressful life events, such as the death of a loved one.
Race black, not Hispanic.
Poor nutrition and low pre-pregnancy weight.
The lack of prenatal care.

Complications

Complications of preterm labor include the fact of having a premature baby. A baby born too soon can have health problems. These can include low birth weight, breathing problems, organs that are not fully formed, and problems with vision and hearing.

Children who are born too early may also have an increased risk of cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems. And the premature birth can be fatal to the baby.

Prevention

You might not be able to prevent a preterm delivery. But you can do things to support the health, pregnancy to term. For example:

Get regular prenatal care. Prenatal visits help your health care professional to see your health and the health of your baby. In these visits, to talk about any symptoms that worry you. If you have a history of preterm labor or have symptoms of preterm labor, you may need to see your health care professional more often during pregnancy.
Eat well. Healthy pregnancy outcomes are often linked with the healthy eating.
Do not use substances that are less healthy. If you smoke, stop smoking. Ask your health care professional about ways to help you quit smoking. Do not use illegal drugs, either.
Think about pregnancy spacing. Some studies suggest a link between premature birth and pregnancies that begin six months or less after the last delivery. Talk with your health care team about the pregnancy spacing, and birth control.
Manage health conditions. Certain conditions that are in progress, also called chronic, it can increase the risk of premature birth. Examples include diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. Work with your health care team for the control of chronic conditions.

If you have a history of preterm labor or premature birth, you are at risk of preterm delivery in subsequent pregnancies. Work with your health care team to manage your risk factors and to respond to the first symptoms of preterm labor.

Diagnosis

Your health care professional to review your medical history, risk factors for preterm delivery and its symptoms. If you have regular uterine contractions and the cervix begins to soften, thin, and free, called dilate, before 37 weeks of pregnancy, it is likely that you are in early labor.

The tests and procedures to diagnose preterm labor include:

Pelvic exam. This review examines how firm and sensitive of your uterus. That is if the water has not broken and do not need to worry that the placenta covers the cervix. This condition is called placenta previa. Your health care professional will perform a pelvic exam to see if your cervix has started to open up, and to control uterine bleeding.
Ultrasound. A transvaginal ultrasound can measure the length of the neck of the uterus. An ultrasound may also show the fetus's size and position. And you can check for problems with the fetus or the placenta, and shows that the volume of amniotic fluid.
Uterine monitoring. A uterine monitor measures the time of your contractions last and how far you are.
The laboratory tests. Your healthcare provider may take a sample from your vagina to check for infections and a substance called fibronectin. The substance acts as a glue between the fetal sac and the wall of the uterus. It is released during labor. Your health care professional to review these results with other risk factors. A urine sample may show certain bacteria.

Treatment

If you are at risk of preterm birth, your health care team can suggest ways to maintain workforce of starting too soon.

Surgical procedure

During a procedure called cervical cerclage, the cervix is stitched closed with strong stitches. More often, a member of your health care team removes the stitches after 36 weeks of pregnancy. If necessary, the stitches can be removed before.

Cervical cerclage can be used for people who are less than 24 weeks of pregnancy who have a history of early preterm birth, and who have a cervix is opening or a cervical length less than 25 mm, called a short cervix.

Vaginal progesterone

For a short cervix diagnosed before 24 weeks of pregnancy, the progesterone, which goes inside of the vagina may decrease the risk of premature birth.

The treatments once you are in labor

There are No drugs or surgery can halt the work of childbirth, except briefly. But your health care team can suggest the following medications:

Corticosteroids. Corticosteroids may help reduce the health risks when a baby is born premature. This includes reducing your baby's risk of lung problems, bleeding in the brain, a serious infection called sepsis, and even death. Your health care team will probably suggest corticosteroids if you are less than 37 weeks of pregnancy and is thought to be at increased risk of delivery in the next 1 to 7 days.
The magnesium sulfate. Your health care team can offer the magnesium sulfate if you have a high risk of giving birth between 24 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. Some research has shown that it can reduce the risk of a certain type of damage in the brain, called cerebral palsy, for babies born before 32 weeks.
Tocolytics.These medicines can slow the contractions for a while. Tocolytics may delay preterm labor for 48 hours. This delay can give steroids a time to work. Or, if necessary, the delay gives you time to get to a hospital that can treat premature babies. Tocolytics does not treat the cause of preterm birth. And do not improve outcomes for babies. You won't get a tocolytic if you have certain conditions, such as pregnancy-induced high blood pressure called preeclampsia.

Tocolytics. These medicines can slow the contractions for a while. Tocolytics may delay preterm labor for 48 hours. This delay can give steroids a time to work. Or, if necessary, the delay gives you time to get to a hospital that can treat premature babies.

Tocolytics does not treat the cause of preterm birth. And do not improve outcomes for babies. You won't get a tocolytic if you have certain conditions, such as pregnancy-induced high blood pressure called preeclampsia.

If you are at risk of preterm delivery and is not in a hospital, you may need to see your health care team on a weekly basis or more often. In this way, the team can be aware of the symptoms of preterm labor.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Preterm contractions can be Braxton Hicks contractions. These are common. That does not mean that your cervix has started to open. If you feel the contractions, try to walk, rest or change of position. This could stop the Braxton Hicks contractions. If you are a true preterm labor, the contractions to move forward.

Bed rest to manage the work of preterm birth has not been shown to reduce the risk of premature birth. Bed rest can lead to the formation of blood clots, emotional distress, and muscle weakness.

Coping and support

If you are at risk of premature labor or preterm labor, you might worry during your pregnancy. You can worry about more if you have a history of preterm labor or premature birth. Talk with your health care team about ways to relax and keep calm.

Preparing for your appointment

If you have symptoms of preterm labor, contact your healthcare provider immediately. You might need immediate medical attention.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

Before your appointment, you may want to:

Ask what you need to do before the appointment. You can see your health care team right away. If not, ask if you should limit your activity while waiting for your appointment.
Ask a loved one or friend to accompany you to your appointment. A support person can help you remember all the information that you get.
Write questions to ask their health care team. That way, you won't forget what you want to do.

Some basic questions to ask your health care team include:

I'm in labor?
Is there anything I can do to prevent preterm birth?
There are treatments that could help the baby?
What symptoms should I contact you about?
What symptoms should make me go to the hospital?
What are the risks if my baby is born now?

Be sure to ask all the questions that you have.

What to expect from your doctor

Be prepared to answer questions such as:

When did you realize that your symptoms?
You are going to have contractions? If so, how many of an hour?
Has had a change in vaginal discharge, or bleeding?
Has been near someone with an infectious disease? Do you have a fever?
Have you had any other pregnancies, spontaneous abortions, or cervical or uterine surgeries that are not in your record?
Do you or do you smoke? How much?
Do you live in the hospital?
How long will it take you to get to the hospital in case of an emergency? Include the time to organize the care of children or a walk.

Premature birth puts your baby at risk. Work with your health care team to improve your chances of a healthy outcome.