Why babies are born prematurely

If the birth occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy, then, according to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), the child is considered prematurely born and premature.

The term "prematurity" also means that the child is born earlier than its due period of intrauterine development and is not sufficiently developed.

The weight of premature babies usually ranges from one and a half to two and a half kilograms. The modern level of medicine allows such children not only to survive, but also to fully  develop.

However, it should take some time before such babies begin to eat independently and can leave the maternity hospital.

Degrees of prematurity and consequences

There are several degrees of prematurity of newborns. Light, as a rule, does not pose a danger to the health of the baby, heavy – requires serious medical care. Find out what is dangerous about the birth of a child prematurely.

Are all premature babies born prematurely?

Not all babies with low weight are born before 37 weeks. Some of them were unable to gain enough weight during pregnancy.

Experts believe that with the same degree of readiness of the baby's body for independent existence, a normal birth weight is always an advantage.

Placental insufficiency

One of the causes of underweight at birth is placental insufficiency, in which the placenta ceases to function normally. Because of this, the fetus does not receive enough nutrients for normal growth.

Placental insufficiency occurs with complications of pregnancy, for example, with gestational diabetes-a violation of glucose metabolism caused by improper nutrition of a pregnant woman.

If Mom smokes

No less serious reason for the delay in the growth of the child is the mother's smoking. Depending on the number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy, the baby's growth slows down to varying degrees. In pregnant women who smoke daily, the risk of a baby weighing less than 2500 g is doubled.

Other reasons

Other causes of low birth weight are malformations and chromosomal abnormalities in the child. Most of them are detected during screeningconducted in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Also, various infectious diseases that affect both the mother's body and the child during intrauterine development lead to low birth weight .

Why are babies born prematurely?

Despite numerous studies, scientists still can not say with certainty what triggers the birth process.

In recent years, the most popular theory among specialists is that the child's body independently determines the optimal time for childbirth. This mechanism is presumably responsible for the pituitary gland of the child.

The causes of premature birth, on the contrary, are well known.

Stress

Often, early birth causes stress and heavy physical work. So, the results of research show that the death of close relatives, loss of work or divorce can lead to premature birth.

Active pregnancy

Many women, fearing for the health of the child, almost completely stop moving while waiting for the baby. While physical activity during pregnancy protects against complications.

Infections

Also, premature birth can be triggered by an infection of the urinary and genital tract of a woman. Experts believe that the bacteria secrete chemicals that cause contractions of the muscles of the uterus.

Often such diseases are asymptomatic, and a woman may not know that she is ill. To reduce the risk of premature birth, you can identify and treat the infection before pregnancy or in its early stages. Currently, there are a sufficient number of drugs that do not harm the baby.

Cervical weakness

In about 20 percent of cases, the cause of premature birth is cervical weakness. This disorder is easy to detect during pregnancy, if you regularly visit a doctor. Cervical weakness is eliminated by strengthening the tissues with a surgical thread.

Other reasons

In addition, preterm birth often begins with multiple pregnancies, uterine bleeding of various origins, high blood pressure and pregnancy complications.

Also, according to some sources, the tendency to early childbirth can be inherited. Mothers who were born prematurely are more likely to give birth prematurely.

The most important thing

A premature baby may be born prematurely due to stress or illness of the mother. However, the birth of an insufficiently formed child can also provoke the mother herself, if she smokes during pregnancy, eats incorrectly and neglects frequent visits to the doctor during the entire period.