Pre-term babies. Everything you need to know

There are several factors that can lead you to deliver your baby before the safe 38 -42 week period. Babies born before 38 weeks are generally considered to be pre term. Some of these factors include:

Diabetes;
High blood pressure;
Blood clotting disorders;
Problems with the placenta or bleeding;
Overweight or underweight;
Short time between pregnancies;
Late or no prenatal care;
Smoking, drinking alcohol or taking illegal drugs; and
Stress.

What are the risks of a preterm birth?

Having a baby before your due date puts the baby at higher risk for many health problems.Babies born before 39 weeks gestation can have problems. Choosing to have your baby by induction, or C-section may seem convenient, but it puts both you and your baby at risk for problems.

What are the problems with having a baby before my due date?

A baby’s brain is the last major organ to develop during your pregnancy, so every day your baby stays inside your uterus is important for your baby! The part of the brain that the baby will use for thinking doubles in size during the last few weeks of your pregnancy. When you are 35 weeks pregnant, your baby’s brain only weighs two-thirds of what it will weigh at 40 weeks.

Some of the health problems that preterm babies may have include:

Problems breathing and keeping warm;
Feeding problems because they may have more trouble sucking and swallowing;

Newborn jaundice, which causes their skin and the white part of their eyes to look yellow;

A longer hospital stay after they are born or be in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit;
Are more often readmitted to the hospital with problems; and
A smaller and less developed brain when they are born

It is therefore advisable to take heart and have patience as you await the arrival of your baby. The last few weeks might of course feel like you are running out of energy. Some women complain of swollen feet and having their energy sapping up. It is just important to hang in there.