SCRIPT NUMBER 115
PREMATURE BIRTH - 2
(ONE SPEAKER)
PROGRAM NAME: HEALTH NUGGETS
PROGRAM TITLE: PREMATURE BIRTH - 2
PROGRAM NUMBER: 115
SUBJECT: CAUSES, TREATMENT, PREVENTION OF PREMATURE AND
LOW BIRTHWEIGHT BABIES
KEY WORDS: CEREBRAL PALSY, LEARNING DISABILITY, PREMATURE
LABOR, WOMB, SEXUAL ACTIVITY
DATE OF SCRIPT:
JUNE 7, 2013
AUTHOR: RICHARD YUKL, MD, FACS
Malika is a 28 year-old Pakistani woman who lived with her traditional family in a
small village until she found a job in a garment factory and moved to a large city.
She began spending her weekends with new friends talking, drinking alcohol,
and trying street drugs as they could be found. Her new lifestyle, and the casual
sex that went along with it, resulted in her becoming pregnant. It was a difficult
pregnancy. She suffered multiple episodes of vaginal bleeding throughout her
pregnancy, and her baby boy was born four weeks early with severe breathing
problems because his lungs were not yet fully developed.
The World Health Organization identifies babies born prematurely and with low
birth weight as the tenth leading cause of death on Earth, being responsible for
more than one million deaths every year. Today, I want to talk about premature
births, their causes, and what you can do to help insure a normal pregnancy.
A normal pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. Prematurity is defined as a birth that occurs
more than three weeks early. Because the developing infant has less time to
mature inside its mother’s womb, it is at risk of being born with serious medical
problems. As was the case with Malika’s baby, there may be severe breathing
problems because the lungs have not yet fully developed. There is also an
increased risk of bleeding into baby’s brain at the time of birth, vision and hearing
problems, and even nerve-related problems such as cerebral palsy and learning
disabilities later in life.
If labor begins extremely early, doctors can try to delay it using medicines to give
the baby more time to fully develop. Unfortunately, the medicines used to delay
labor can cause the mother complications, so the doctor must weigh those risks
against the baby’s risks from being born prematurely. If the mother is going into
labor earlier than the 28th week of pregnancy, the doctor will probably give some
medicines. If the pregnancy has lasted more than 28 weeks, labor and delivery
will probably be allowed to proceed without making attempts to delay.
The specific cause of any particular premature birth is often not clear, but risk
factors involve things that interfere with the blood supply to the mother’s womb.
Major risk factors include such lifestyle and diet issues as smoking cigarettes,
drinking alcohol, using street drugs, poor nutrition and being overweight. Also,
untreated medical problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes, or
stressful life events such as the death of a loved one, can increase the risk.
So, what can a pregnant woman do to lower her risk of delivering a premature,
low birthweight baby? God allows women to participate in His work of creation by
giving them the ability to be pregnant. That is a high honor as well as an
enormous responsibility. If you are pregnant, provide an environment that
ensures your baby the best possible chance to develop normally. Living a healthy
lifestyle will help. Avoid dangerous activities such as smoking cigarettes, drinking
alcohol or using street drugs. That will help to prevent premature labor and
delivery of a low birthweight infant by allowing a normal volume of blood flow to
your womb. If it is possible, see a doctor who can monitor both your health and
your baby’s health regularly during your pregnancy. Also, eat healthy foods
throughout your pregnancy - eating natural, nutritious food rather than unhealthy
snacks. Get treatment for any chronic medical conditions you may have diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Finally, limit your stress as
much as is possible. Set aside quiet time every day to relax, and ask for help
doing tasks that are difficult for you to do.
Many women who are pregnant worry that having sex during pregnancy may
harm their baby or cause a premature birth. As long as your pregnancy is
proceeding normally, you can have sex as often as you like. Sex during early
pregnancy will not cause you to lose your pregnancy. The fluid that surrounds
babies in the womb protects them as they develop, so your sexual activity will not
be hurtful to them. As long as you are comfortable in the sexual positions you
take, your baby should not be harmed. It may be better not to have sex while
pregnant, however, if you have had unexplained vaginal bleeding, or if you are
leaking fluid from your vagina.
If you are pregnant and begin having labor prematurely, what should you do? Will
your baby have problems such as Malika’s baby had when he was born? A low
birthweight baby is defined as an infant weighing less than five pounds or 2,500
grams at the time of its birth. Research shows that 15-20% of low birthweight
babies have some bleeding into their brain during delivery, so your doctor will
need to give your baby medicines just after delivery to lower the risk of
developing a deadly bleed. High blood sugar in the first few hours of life is
another common problem in low birthweight babies, and your doctor must treat
that. Mothers have an important part to play as well. It is very important that your
low birthweight baby be given the best possible nutrition following birth. Breast
milk is ideal for your baby, so you must breastfeed your baby if you have
adequate milk.
In summary, while all premature births cannot be avoided, you can follow some
sensible and helpful strategies that will lower the risks. Avoid lifestyle evils such
as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and using street drugs. Eat nutritious
food, have your medical conditions treated, and limit your stress. Your baby will
have a better chance of developing normally.
Health Nuggets is written by Dr. Richard Yukl, a medical doctor working in the
United States. The medical views expressed in this program are his and may
differ for your particular health needs. If you need medical advice, please consult
a medical professional in your area.