Premature Birth — Symptoms And Causes

Sreelogna Nandi
Nov 7 · 7 min read

Not every childbirth occurs at the due date; cases where childbirths occur early are known as premature birth (also known as preterm birth). Premature births occur before the completion of 37 weeks of pregnancy.

Warning signs for mothers — signs of premature labour

Knowing the common warning signs of premature birth and taking immediate steps with the help of your gynaecologist increases the likelihood of delaying premature delivery. Look out for these warning signs:

● Bleeding and discharge from the vagina

● Increased pressure in the vagina and/or the pelvis

● Flu-like symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, and nausea

● Cramps similar to ones that occur during menstruation, cramps in the lower abdomen

● Contractions that occur frequently

● Pain in the lower back that is persistent

Consult a gynaecologist if you notice these symptoms when you are approaching your due date. Our Obstetrics and Gynaecology department is dedicated to providing extensive maternity healthcare for ensuring the best pregnancy health. As one of the leading maternity hospitals in Kolkata, we have well-equipped Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) dedicated to newborns who need intensive monitoring and medical care. The facility has a team of highly-skilled neonatologists, paediatricians, and nurses who work around the clock to promptly respond to any kind of emergencies related to neonatal health. Learn more about our specialised care facilities here

Causes of premature birth: things that are worth knowing

The exact cause of premature birth isn’t identified. Health conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease increase the risk of premature birth. Other common risk factors of premature birth include:

● Premature birth in a previous pregnancy

● Multiple pregnancies (being pregnant with multiples such as twins and triplets)

● Multiple abortions or miscarriages

● An early weakening of the cervix opening

● Problems of the placenta or the uterus

● Infections (infections of the lower genital tract and the amniotic fluid are the most common)

● Using illicit drugs, drinking too much alcohol, and smoking during pregnancy

● Poor nutrition during pregnancy

Complications of premature birth

Premature babies stand at an increased risk of various health complications; some are apparent at birth while others may develop later in life. The earlier the premature birth, the higher is the baby’s risk of health complications.

Short-term complications

Increased risk of infections: premature babies have an underdeveloped, weak immune system. Therefore, they are at a high risk of infections. Sepsis is one of the most common infections that premature babies are at the risk of contracting.

Gastrointestinal problems: underdeveloped gastrointestinal system is common in premature babies. It increases the risk of necrotisingenterocolitis (NEC), a condition in which the bowel wall cells are injured.

Increased risk of permanent brain injury: premature birth increases the risk of intraventricularhaemorrhage, bleeding in the brain. Severe forms of intraventricularhaemorrhage increase the risk of permanent brain injury.

Increased risk of heart failure: it’s common for premature babies to have heart problems such as hypotension (low blood pressure) and patent ductusarteriosus (PDA). If left untreated, these problems can lead to serious complications such as heart murmur and heart failure.

Long-term complications

Increased risk of retinopathy of prematurity: premature babies are at the risk of retinopathy of prematurity, a common long-term prematurity complication. Retinopathy causes damage to the retina due to abnormal growth of blood vessels in the back of the eye.

Increased risk of learning disabilities: premature birth can cause long-term intellectual and developmental disabilities for babies.

Increased risk of dental problems: premature birth increases the risk of long-term dental problems such as improper alignment of teeth and tooth discolouration.

Increased risk of cerebral palsy: premature babies are at an increased risk of cerebral palsy which affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills. Abnormal development of the brain and insufficient blood flow to brain commonly cause cerebral palsy in premature babies.

Premature babies — symptoms you must know

In many cases, premature babies have mild symptoms of prematurity. Some of the common symptoms include:

● Size of the baby’s head larger than normal

● Lack of basic reflexes such as swallowing and sucking which cause feeding difficulties

● Presence of fine hair (lanugo) in the body

● Laboured breathing (increased effort to breathe)

● Lack of stored body fat which causes low body temperature and sharper-looking body features

Do you live in Kolkata and are searching for a baby hospital in the city?

Visit our hospital in Kolkata, Bhagirathi Neotia Woman and Child Care Centre in Newtown for advanced medical technology-backed pre-natal and neonatal healthcare services.Not every childbirth occurs at the due date; cases where childbirths occur early are known as premature birth (also known as preterm birth). Premature births occur before the completion of 37 weeks of pregnancy.

Warning signs for mothers — signs of premature labour

Knowing the common warning signs of premature birth and taking immediate steps with the help of your gynaecologist increases the likelihood of delaying premature delivery. Look out for these warning signs:

● Bleeding and discharge from the vagina

● Increased pressure in the vagina and/or the pelvis

● Flu-like symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, and nausea

● Cramps similar to ones that occur during menstruation, cramps in the lower abdomen

● Contractions that occur frequently

● Pain in the lower back that is persistent

Consult a gynaecologist if you notice these symptoms when you are approaching your due date. Our Obstetrics and Gynaecology department is dedicated to providing extensive maternity healthcare for ensuring the best pregnancy health. As one of the leading maternity hospitals in Kolkata, we have well-equipped Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) dedicated to newborns who need intensive monitoring and medical care. The facility has a team of highly-skilled neonatologists, paediatricians, and nurses who work around the clock to promptly respond to any kind of emergencies related to neonatal health. Learn more about our specialised care facilities here

Causes of premature birth: things that are worth knowing

The exact cause of premature birth isn’t identified. Health conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease increase the risk of premature birth. Other common risk factors of premature birth include:

● Premature birth in a previous pregnancy

● Multiple pregnancies (being pregnant with multiples such as twins and triplets)

● Multiple abortions or miscarriages

● An early weakening of the cervix opening

● Problems of the placenta or the uterus

● Infections (infections of the lower genital tract and the amniotic fluid are the most common)

● Using illicit drugs, drinking too much alcohol, and smoking during pregnancy

● Poor nutrition during pregnancy

Complications of premature birth

Premature babies stand at an increased risk of various health complications; some are apparent at birth while others may develop later in life. The earlier the premature birth, the higher is the baby’s risk of health complications.

Short-term complications

Increased risk of infections: premature babies have an underdeveloped, weak immune system. Therefore, they are at a high risk of infections. Sepsis is one of the most common infections that premature babies are at the risk of contracting.

Gastrointestinal problems: underdeveloped gastrointestinal system is common in premature babies. It increases the risk of necrotisingenterocolitis (NEC), a condition in which the bowel wall cells are injured.

Increased risk of permanent brain injury: premature birth increases the risk of intraventricularhaemorrhage, bleeding in the brain. Severe forms of intraventricularhaemorrhage increase the risk of permanent brain injury.

Increased risk of heart failure: it’s common for premature babies to have heart problems such as hypotension (low blood pressure) and patent ductusarteriosus (PDA). If left untreated, these problems can lead to serious complications such as heart murmur and heart failure.

Long-term complications

Increased risk of retinopathy of prematurity: premature babies are at the risk of retinopathy of prematurity, a common long-term prematurity complication. Retinopathy causes damage to the retina due to abnormal growth of blood vessels in the back of the eye.

Increased risk of learning disabilities: premature birth can cause long-term intellectual and developmental disabilities for babies.

Increased risk of dental problems: premature birth increases the risk of long-term dental problems such as improper alignment of teeth and tooth discolouration.

Increased risk of cerebral palsy: premature babies are at an increased risk of cerebral palsy which affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills. Abnormal development of the brain and insufficient blood flow to brain commonly cause cerebral palsy in premature babies.

Premature babies — symptoms you must know

In many cases, premature babies have mild symptoms of prematurity. Some of the common symptoms include:

● Size of the baby’s head larger than normal

● Lack of basic reflexes such as swallowing and sucking which cause feeding difficulties

● Presence of fine hair (lanugo) in the body

● Laboured breathing (increased effort to breathe)

● Lack of stored body fat which causes low body temperature and sharper-looking body features

Do you live in Kolkata and are searching for a baby hospital in the city?

Visit our hospital in Kolkata, Bhagirathi Neotia Woman and Child Care Centre in Newtown for advanced medical technology-backed pre-natal and neonatal healthcare services.

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