Preterm birth is a delivery that takes place between 20 and 37 weeks of gestation. It is further divided into early preterm birth (before 33 weeks) and late preterm birth (between 34 and 36 weeks). Preterm labor is labor that begins before 37 weeks of pregnancy. It requires immediate medical attention and can be caused by a variety of risk factors, including a history of preterm birth, multiple pregnancies, smoking, and short interpregnancy intervals.
The primary goal of monitoring and treating preterm labor is to reduce the risk of preterm birth and protect the health of both the mother and fetus. If the hospital does not have the resources to care for premature babies, the obstetrician-gynecologist may recommend transferring to another hospital with these resources. Labor can be monitored through maternal vital signs, fetal heart rate, evaluation of uterine contractions, frequency, duration, and intensity. If there is no progressive dilation or erasure of the cervix after 4-6 hours of observation, the well-being of the fetus can be checked with a non-stress test and pregnancy complications can be ruled out.
The patient can then be sent home with follow-up instructions in 1-2 weeks and should return if there are additional signs or symptoms of preterm birth or other pregnancy problems.Vaginal progesterone may be given if the patient has not had a preterm birth before but has a very short cervix at 24 weeks or earlier. Fetal fibronectin, which is released as a result of the breakdown of the cervical extracellular matrix, is also an indicator of preterm birth, although it is a specific but not sensitive test.After birth, late umbilical cord clamping (DCC) has been found to be beneficial for premature babies. It is important to note that preterm birth can occur in pregnant women with no known risk factors. There are many things that pregnant women can do to promote a healthy full-term pregnancy.The funding supports the capacities of PQC to improve perinatal care in their states, including initiatives to reduce preterm births and improve prematurity outcomes.
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