Preterm birth may up premature death risk in mothers: Here’s what you can do to prevent early delivery

Cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, diabetes, and cancer were identified as causes of death associated with preterm delivery.

Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the birth of a baby before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed. Full-term pregnancies usually last about 40 weeks. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 15 million babies are born preterm every year and this number is rising. Preterm birth complications are also the leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age, causing the death of approximately 1 million children each year, as per the WHO. Premature babies are at higher risk of health problems than babies born later. Many survivors of preterm birth face a lifetime of disability, including learning disabilities and visual and hearing problems. Women who experience a preterm birth are also at increased risk of ill-health.

New research has revealed that preterm delivery is an independent risk factor for premature death in women. According to the study published in the journal The BMJ, nearly 11 per cent of all deliveries worldwide are preterm.

Causes of death associated with preterm delivery

Previous studies reported that women who deliver preterm or extremely preterm (22-27 weeks) have increased risks of developing conditions such as heart disease or diabetes in later life.

In the new study, researchers analysed data on length of pregnancy for over two million women who gave birth in Sweden from 1973-2015. They found that women who delivered preterm or extremely preterm had 1.7-fold and 2.2-fold increased risk of death from any cause, respectively, during the next 10 years compared to those who delivered full term. Cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, diabetes, and cancer were among the several specific causes of death associated with preterm delivery.

Risk factors of preterm delivery

Preterm birth occurs due to various reasons. However, often no specific cause of premature birth is identified. Some of the known risk factors of premature delivery include

• Multiple pregnancies
• Less than six months of the interval between pregnancies
• Chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure
• Conceiving through in vitro fertilization
• Smoking cigarettes or using illicit drugs
• Infections of the amniotic fluid and lower genital tract
• Being underweight or overweight before pregnancy
• Multiple miscarriages or abortions

Things you can do to prevent preterm birth

Preterm delivery can't always be prevented. But there are certain things that moms-to-be can do to lower their chances of going into labor too soon. Pregnant women, especially those who have an increased risk of preterm birth, should:

• See their doctor early and regularly during pregnancy.
• Keep health issues, like diabetes, high blood pressure, or depression, under control.
• Quit smoking, drinking, or use of illegal drugs.
• Eat a variety of healthy foods.
• Maintain a healthy weight (before and during pregnancy)
• Take precautions to avoid infections such as wash your hands often, avoid eating raw meat, fish, or unpasteurized cheese; use condoms when having sex; don't change cat litter.
• Last but not least, reduce stress in your life.

For women with a short or weak cervix (the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina) or who have had a premature baby before, the doctor may recommend progesterone hormone treatment. It can be given as a shot or put into the vagina to help lower the chances of going into labor early.

There's also another procedure called cerclage, in which a woman's cervix is closed by stitching to help prevent preterm birth. This treatment is recommended for women who have had premature babies or miscarriages, who have a short cervix, or who have a cervix that begins to open (dilate) too early.