Having a baby is one of the happiest things for many people, especially for couples who have long wanted to have a baby. It is not surprising that many people have started preparing for everything their baby needs from an early age. Parents-to-be usually begin to apply a variety of special treatments to their children even from the time they are in the womb, from providing the best nutrition to maintaining a healthy womb.
Gynecological health is an important thing that needs to be considered by every expectant mother and father. Unfortunately, some people still don't understand the importance of maintaining the condition of the womb, even though the risks that may be caused by negligence in maintaining the womb are very serious and can endanger the growth and development of the baby in the future. One of the risks that lurk is premature birth. In premature birth, the baby is born before entering the age of 37 weeks or far from the predicted time of his birth. Premature birth can trigger various problems and complications in the development of the baby.
Therefore, it is better if prospective parents understand the things that can trigger premature birth in babies and how to avoid them to ensure that the baby grows optimally.
The following are some things that can cause babies to be born prematurely:
1. Mother's Health Condition
The tendency to experience premature labor can be owned by mothers who have conditions of fatigue and excessive pressure both physically and mentally. Fatigue and excessive pressure will weaken the mother's condition so that it indirectly contributes to weakening the womb and increasing the risk of premature birth.
2. Mother's Lifestyle
The mother's lifestyle can also trigger premature births, unhealthy lifestyles such as lack of movement and frequent exposure to cigarette smoke and vehicles can put the health of the womb in an alarming condition. Babies in the womb tend to be more susceptible to exposure to harmful substances so that a bad lifestyle will have a significant negative effect.
3. Age during pregnancy
Age at gestation has a major influence on premature birth, women who are under 16 years old or who are over 35 years old when pregnant have a 2-4 percent increased risk of giving birth to premature babies, compared to those who are in the age range of 21-24 years when pregnant .
Pregnant women who are at a less than ideal age are more likely to experience bleeding during pregnancy. This is largely due to the placenta implanting lower in the uterus.
4. Spacing between pregnancies
The period between two pregnancies that is only six to nine months between the birth of one baby and the start of the next pregnancy is known to increase the risk of premature birth. The optimal time between pregnancies is 18 months, when the uterus is back in optimal condition and strong.
5. History of premature birth
The risk of premature birth increases in women who have a history of preterm birth. A history of preterm delivery is the strongest risk factor for recurrent preterm birth and recurrences are common at the same age, with approximately 70% of early deliveries occurring within two weeks of gestation from the first preterm birth.
After knowing the things that can cause premature birth, prospective parents should also know several ways to prevent premature birth. In general, there are three steps that can be taken to prevent premature birth. In addition to preparing the condition of the uterus by taking multivitamins or micronutrients and consuming folic acid 6 months or a year before pregnancy, the primary prevention that pregnant women can take is not working more than 42 hours a week and not standing too long or more than 6 hours.
Second, secondary prevention can be carried out when clinical symptoms are not obvious but indicate an abnormal condition. For example, there is an infection in the vagina such as vaginal discharge that is repeated, itchy, and smells. This is important to note because this vaginal infection is one of the causes of rupture of the membranes and can result in premature birth.
Third, tertiary prevention can be carried out when clinical symptoms are evident. Usually, this occurs a few hours before premature birth. If this is done, the doctor will take several actions to delay the birth with the aim of providing an opportunity to improve the quality of the fetus.
Knowing and understanding the things that can cause babies to be born prematurely and the best ways to avoid them can improve the quality of pregnancy and childbirth so that the quality of the health of babies who are born and mothers who give birth is maintained. #LiveExcellently