{"id":3246,"date":"2019-01-10T06:43:43","date_gmt":"2019-01-10T06:43:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sg\/?p=3246"},"modified":"2023-05-25T18:54:26","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T10:54:26","slug":"the-preemie-primer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/the-preemie-primer\/","title":{"rendered":"Preterm deliveries: What can parents do to recognize probability of premature birth"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3246\" class=\"elementor elementor-3246\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e853997 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e853997\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a48f871\" data-id=\"a48f871\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d92c98 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7d92c98\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.1 - 09-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Preterm deliveries: What can parents do to recognize probability of premature birth<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e251812 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e251812\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.1 - 09-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"714\" src=\"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/deep-1024x714.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3248\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/deep-1024x714.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/deep-300x209.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/deep-768x536.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/deep.jpg 1213w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8f22085 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8f22085\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The \u201cPreemie\u201d Primer<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c68231 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5c68231\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.1 - 09-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><em>Being early is not always desirable, especially when it comes to childbirth. We list below some of the facts on the important issue of preterm deliveries (\u201cPreemie\u201d), the factors that increase the probability of premature birth and what parents can do.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Madam Helena Foo was 28 weeks pregnant with her second child when her water broke and she was rushed to the National University Hospital. It was also around this time that the expectant mother found out that she was down with fever. She was hospitalised for three days before doctors strongly recommended an immediate delivery to protect the foetus from the increasing risk of neonatal infection.<\/p>\n<p>Baby Shane was born and came in at just under three pounds (approx. 1.3kg). \u201cWe were told that babies born under the \u201cvery premature\u201d category have a greater than 95 percent chance of making it,\u201d recounted Helena. Still, the baby was in dire condition and was fighting for his survival. \u201cHe could barely open his eyes and couldn\u2019t breathe on his own,\u201d she says. Helena did not get to hold her newborn until two weeks later, during which he was monitored in an open incubator and inserted with breathing tubes and an IV through the navel. Thankfully, both mother and child made it through the ordeal, with Shane growing up as a healthy child.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fastest Foetus First: Rise in Preterm deliveries<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Stories like Helena\u2019s are one of many cases of premature or preterm labour, which is a more prevalent issue than we think. Notable people like Sir Isaac Newton, Mark Twain, and Sir Winston Churchill were all buns that escaped the oven ahead of time. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 15 million babies are born preterm every year, with this figure steadily increasing.<\/p>\n<p>A birth is termed premature when it occurs more than three weeks before the baby is due, which is around the 37th week of a woman\u2019s pregnancy. Preterm birth is classified into extremely preterm (less than 28 weeks), very preterm (28 to under 32 weeks), and moderate preterm (32 to under 37 weeks), with most premature births occurring in the moderate phase.<\/p>\n<p>The final few weeks in utero are the most crucial for the growing foetus, since this is the time when there is significant development in the baby\u2019s brain, lungs and liver. When a baby is born too soon before the full 40 weeks \u2013 also known as a preemie \u2013 it has less time to develop in the womb, thus becoming more susceptible to brain bleeds, heart defects and breathing problems, among other health problems.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Signs of Potential Preterm Delivery<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A study last year showed that about 12 percent of women have a chance of preterm labour during pregnancy, and that most of them can be avoided by understanding the specific red flags if and when they show up.<\/p>\n<p>Keep track of the flow and type of your vaginal discharge right up to 37 weeks into your pregnancy. These secretions are perfectly normal during pregnancy, but if you notice an increase in discharge or if it becomes watery, pink, or viscous, this may be a harbinger of preterm labour.<\/p>\n<p>Another symptom may be extra pressure in your pelvic area or vagina. This may be caused by your baby pushing downwards towards the exit, resulting in the feeling of your baby \u201cfalling out\u201d. Backpains predominantly in the lower back, menstrual-like cramping, and sporadic early contractions every 10 minutes are other warning signs you should pay heed to.<\/p>\n<p>These signs may appear to be no different from the usual symptoms experienced during normal pregnancy, so it is always better to err on the side of caution and sound out your doctor immediately. A dose of women\u2019s intuition can also come in handy at this point.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Risks of Preterm Birth<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Preterm birth can pose a risk to preemies, especially if it happens in the earlier stages. The later the birth, the less vulnerable they are to both short- and long-term complications. As in the case of Shane, premature babies may encounter breathing difficulties in the first weeks due to an immature respiratory system or a lack of surfactant in the lungs, which enables the lungs to expand.<\/p>\n<p>Heart problems are common short-term issues, the most frequent being low blood pressure and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), which is a persistent opening between two major blood vessels from the heart. This defect usually closes on its own, but can cause heart failure when left untreated. Preemies are also highly susceptible to infections like sepsis, pneumonia, and urinary tract infection due to their underdeveloped immune system.<\/p>\n<p>In the long run, prematurely born infants may face more serious health problems. A study of 241 children born between 22 and 25 weeks by researcher Dr. Neil Marlow, a neonatologist at the University of Nottingham, found that 46 percent had severe or moderate disabilities such as cerebral palsy, vision or hearing loss, and learning problems.\u201cParents need to go into this situation with their eyes wide open and with an open dialogue with their doctors as to what they should do,\u201d Marlow advises.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Being Prepared for the Possibility of Preterm Birth<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Despite the great strides made in modern medicine and treatment, most of these efforts have been geared towards treating premature babies, with a dearth of progress and research on prevention.\u201dWe don\u2019t understand the mechanism of preterm birth enough to come up with safe, effective ways to prevent it,\u201d says Ronald Gibbs, M.D., chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. \u201cStrategies so far have focused on trying to stop preterm labour, but that\u2019s like closing the barn door after the horse is out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What parents can do is to stay on top of things by equipping themselves with knowledge on the factors that may increase the probability of premature birth.<\/p>\n<p>Poor nutrition and not gaining enough weight during pregnancy can contribute to conceiving a preemie. The best way to minimise the chances of an unscheduled delivery is to seek early prenatal care the moment you are pregnant. Your doctor can begin monitoring your progress and giving you the best medical and nutritional advice, while screening you for possible infections that are detriment to a healthy pregnancy.<\/p>\n<p>Your birthing history may also count against you. Some pregnant mums are more likely to go into labour earlier than others, especially if they have experienced a previous premature birth before. Those who have gone through high-risk pregnancies involving twins are more at risk, along with parents who have undergone procedures like abortion and multiple miscarriages.<\/p>\n<p><em>Check out more useful and practical tips in our <a href=\"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sgpregnancy-mother-baby-care-tips\/\">Pregnancy, Maternity &amp; Baby Care Tips<\/a> section, which features tips on pregnancy diet and nutrition, physical and emotional wellness, yoga and exercise, and updates on some latest health trends.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Find more articles offering practical\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sgpregnancy-mother-baby-care-tips\/\">pregnancy, maternity and parenthood tips<\/a>\u00a0on our site. Here are some for ready reference:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sgunusual-pregnancy-complaints\/\">Unusual pregnancy complaints<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 know some of the strange but expected changes you are likely to experience during pregnancy<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sgpowered-up-pregnancy\/\">Powered up pregnancy<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 strange and unexpected facts about pregnancy<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sgspeed-bumps-for-a-second-pregnancy\/\">Speed bumps for a second pregnancy<\/a> \u2013 Tips on how to plan and prepare for a second baby.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><em>By the way, as you prepare for the birth of your child, do consider the benefits of umbilical cord blood storage and cord tissue storage as one of the tools to provide long-term health protection to your baby and the family. Find out how cord blood stem cell treatment can help in overcoming almost 80 diseases and health conditions. <a href=\"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sgcontact-us\/\">Speak<\/a> to a consultant now to know the benefits, the <a href=\"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sgstem_cell_slug\/process\/\">collection<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sgstem_cell_slug\/storage-process\/\">storage<\/a> process as well as the <a href=\"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sgprice-plan\/\">cost of cord blood banking in Singapore<\/a> with Cryoviva, one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/cryoviva.com.sg\">top cord blood banks<\/a> here.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Preterm deliveries: What can parents do to recognize probability of premature birth The \u201cPreemie\u201d Primer Being early is not always desirable, especially when it comes to childbirth. We list below some of the facts on the important issue of preterm deliveries (\u201cPreemie\u201d), the factors that increase the probability of premature birth and what parents can do.\u00a0 Madam Helena Foo was 28 weeks pregnant with her second child when her water broke and she was rushed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3248,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3246"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3246"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3246\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15666,"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3246\/revisions\/15666"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontarget-media.com\/cryoviva_new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}