A birth that occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy is known as a preterm birth. Preterm labour complicates 5–10% of pregnancies and is a leading cause of perinatal morbidity & mortality. Dr. Loveleena Nadir, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Rosewalk Healthcare, Delhi, shares her input:

Risk factors include:

1. Pregnancy with twins or triplets
2. An interval of less than six months between pregnancies.
3. Assisted Reproductive treatment, e.g., IVF and ICSI
4. History of more than one miscarriage.
5. History of previous premature births.
6. Problems with the uterus, cervix, e.g., short cervix, placenta previa.
7. Infections of the lower genital tract, sexually transmitted infections urinary tract infections, eg. , bacterial vaginosis
8. Gestational hypertension & dialects.
9. Lifestyle choices like smoking, alcohol intake, taking drugs, being overweight or underweight before pregnancy, stress, or getting pregnant before 17 and after 35.

The complications of prematurity in a baby could be:

1. Breathing difficulty due to being born with lungs that are not fully developed.
2. Heart problems & low blood pressure.
3. Risk of bleeding in the brain.
4. Inability to maintain body temperature due to lack of stored body fat.
5. The digestive system may not fully develop in premature babies.
6. They are at risk of developing anemia and newborn jaundice.
7. Neurological problems like cerebral palsy.
8. May lag behind many milestones.
9. Vision and hearing may be affected.

Tips to prevent preterm birth:

1. Avoid smoking, as it can increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
2. Avoid alcohol & drugs. There is no safe limit on alcohol during pregnancy.
3. Get a healthy weight before pregnancy.
4. Gain the right amount of weight during pregnancy.
5. Doctors may advise progesterone supplements or do a cervical cerclage if the need arises.