Causes of Premature Babies

Causes of Premature Babies: Women with certain diseases and habits are thought to have a tendency to premature delivery. Called premature birth baby, before 37 weeks of gestation in the mother's womb.

Causes of Premature Babies

Premature birth can be caused by various factors that are often difficult to predict. Babies born prematurely, especially those born before reaching the age of 32 weeks, often experience various health problems.

Some factors that can trigger premature birth babies include:

1. Infection

Some cases of premature birth are caused by bacterial infections of the reproductive system and urinary tract. The bacteria secrete substances that can weaken the membranes around the amniotic sac and cause the membranes to rupture earlier. These bacteria can also cause inflammation and infection in the uterus, even when the membranes that cover the uterus are still intact. This condition causes babies to be born prematurely.

As for infections that can cause premature births, including:

• Sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis.
• Urinary tract infections or asymptomatic bacteriuria are generally not accompanied by symptoms, so urine tests are needed to detect bacteria.

Especially for those who have previously experienced preterm labor, you should undergo a checkup and treatment for bacterial vaginosis to reduce the risk of preterm birth.

2. Certain diseases or conditions

People with certain diseases such as diabetes, kidney problems, high blood pressure, anemia during pregnancy, are more at risk of developing preterm labor.

In addition, problems in the placenta such as placenta previa or placental abruption can also make a baby born prematurely. Placenta previa is a condition when the placenta is embedded too close to the cervix or cervix.

Patients with placenta previa are prone to severe bleeding so often require a caesarean section. Abruptio placenta or placental abruption is a condition when the placenta begins to separate from the uterine wall before the baby is born. This condition can endanger the life of the mother and baby.

Having a cervical structure that is less than 2.5 cm, or a cervix that opens and closes without contractions can also cause preterm birth. This abnormal condition of the cervix can occur from birth or due to cervical surgery.

Having surgery in the abdominal cavity during pregnancy, for example due to inflammation of the appendix or gallstones, also increases the risk of the baby being born prematurely.

3. Lifestyle

Daily bad habits can also trigger premature babies like:

• Smoking during pregnancy
• Take alcohol or illegal drugs
• Lack of consuming nutritious foods.

4. Other risk factors

There are several other specific conditions that make a woman more at risk of premature delivery, including:

• Contain more than one baby.
• Pregnant with a distance of less than six months from a previous pregnancy.
• Pregnancy through IVF.
• Have had an abortion or miscarriage several times.
• Some preterm labor tends to also occur in pregnant women who have blood relations with women who have experienced it first. In this case, genetic factors can be considered to play a role.
• Experience trauma, depression, violence, or injury during pregnancy. High stress causes the release of hormones that trigger contractions and preterm birth.
• Body weight is less or more than normal before becoming pregnant.
• Take diethylstilboestrol (DES) medicine while pregnant.
• Aged less than 17 or more than 35 years during pregnancy.
• Using an IUD contraception when experiencing conception and the IUD is still in its position while pregnant.
• Your type of work involves heavy physical activity.
• Bleeding several times during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester.
• If you feel you have one or more risk factors for a premature baby, you should immediately talk to your obstetrician for more intensive treatment to prevent premature labor.

If you feel you have one or more risk factors for premature births as discussed above, you should immediately talk to your obstetrician for more intensive treatment.