It can be a shock to realise that your baby is going to be born much earlier than you had expected. Often parents feel unready and rushed, and you may feel worried or frightened about the health of your baby.
You may need some time to get used to the idea of being a parent, and of having a baby who is small and perhaps unwell. Take all the offers of help from professionals, and from friends and family, that you can.
Remember that you and your baby will be given plenty of extra care during labour and afterwards. The standards of care for premature babies are now very high, and the majority of premature babies do survive and grow up healthy.
Why are babies born prematurely?
There are several reasons why a woman might go into premature labour before her baby is sufficiently mature to cope with life outside the womb. These include:
- Infections
- Smoking or poor diet
- A multiple pregnancy, for example twins
- Cervical incompetence
- Life-threatening conditions such as pre-eclampsia
- In some cases, you may never discover the reason why your baby was
born prematurely
If you have had a previous premature birth, or if there is a possibility that you may have a premature baby, your hospital will probably want to scan you more frequently, perhaps every two weeks, to check the growth of your baby.
What happens if you go into premature labour?
If you think you are going into premature labour, call your midwife. If your waters break prematurely or if it is obvious you are in labour, it is usually best to go straight to hospital. What happens then depends on whether or not you are really in labour (some women experience ‘false’ or ‘practice’ labour that can seem very much like the real thing), how advanced your pregnancy is, and other medical considerations. Bear in mind, though, that hospitals prefer to play safe and you will probably be kept in at least until the situation is clearer. Generally speaking:
- If you are over 34 weeks pregnant, the medical staff will probably allow the labour to go ahead
- If you are under 34 weeks pregnant, the medical staff will probably try to delay, slow or stop the labour
If there is a risk of you giving birth prematurely, you may be given medication to slow the process down. If this is given early enough it can halt the labour altogether and you could go on to give birth normally. You may also be given a drug to mature your baby’s lungs so that he stands a better chance of breathing more easily when he is born. If you are in hospital but not in labour, and your baby is likely to be born prematurely, you might find it reassuring to look round the special care neonatal unit and meet some of the staff there.
What are the risks if my baby is born too soon?
Breathing problems
Babies born before 32 weeks, and especially those weighing under 1,500g (3lb 5oz), usually have immature lungs which cannot secrete surfactant, a foamy substance that prevents the inner surfaces of the lungs from sticking together. This frequently results in severe breathing difficulties, a condition known as Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). The earlier a baby is born, the more likely they are to suffer from RDS. After 32 weeks, RDS is far less common. If your baby is at risk from RDS, you may be given an injection before he/she is born to help mature his/her lungs so he/she will have fewer respiratory problems. Neonatal units can also use artificial surfactants to treat babies with RDS.
Infection
Premature babies can be very prone to infection because their immune systems are not fully developed.
Jaundice
Like many other newborn babies, premature babies may also suffer from jaundice because their livers are immature; they may be treated with phototherapy lamps, similar to ultraviolet light sunbeds.
What are my baby’s chances?
The further into your pregnancy you are the better your baby’s chance of survival if born early which is why attempts are usually made to stop labour. Your body is the best possible incubator for your baby. However, with continuous advances in medicine, even babies born extremely early have a chance of survival.
- At 23 weeks babies have a 26% of survival
- At 24 weeks, the figure rises to 47%
- By 25 weeks the survival rates are 67%
As well as this, your baby’s weight also important. Twenty years ago, about 20 per cent of babies weighing less than 1000 gms (2lb 2oz) at birth survived. Nowadays, over 80 per cent survive.
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