I have always been interested in working in the medical field someday. When I was younger I wanted to be a doctor that delivered babies. I have no idea what got me interested in doing that, but I thought it would be cool. Over the years my thoughts on that have kind of changed, but I would still consider it. I have always loved little kids (babies) and I think that is why I thought it would be neat to deliver babies as a profession. There are certain precautions that you have to take when you are pregnant, and not all people take these into thought. The reason I chose to do my blog on premature labor is because just the other day I was at Walmart, and I happened to see a pregnant lady smoking a cigarette outside. If only that woman would have thought about the things that just that one cigarette can do to her child long term I don’t think she would have picked up that cigarette and taken that first puff.

When you get pregnant you are not 100% guaranteed to have a full-term birth. There is no known cause for preterm births. Although there is no known cause for preterm births some things that can cause it are smoking, drinking, and tobacco use.  Premature birth can be prevented by staying away from these things. Another thing that can cause premature birth is if you have a short cervix. People who are diagnosed with this condition can then be offered vaginal progesterone to prevent premature birth.

The things that you can to do try and eliminate your risk of premature labor are simple things that you should be doing in your everyday life. Eating well and having a balanced diet are things that you should do in your everyday life but doing this while pregnant is proven to be very helpful. Even though you need to be on a good diet, this doesn’t mean that you can’t eat anything. Eating often actually supplies your baby with all the right nutrients and helps your baby grow fast and efficiently. Exercise also helps you to have a good pregnancy. Being active helps you with some common problems during your pregnancy. There is also evidence that it may prevent gestational diabetes, relieve stress, and build more stamina needed for labor and delivery. If you have a medical problem such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes, exercise may not be advisable.

Being overweight during pregnancy can be a problem. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can up your odds of developing gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, both of which increase preterm labor risk. Gaining to little weight during pregnancy is also another risk factor. The average woman will gain 25-30 pounds. If you do so you greatly improve your chances of delivering a full-sized baby at full term.

When babies are delivered too early, many times they will have defects. Some defects that your baby can be diagnosed with are cerebral palsy, breathing and respiratory problems, visual problems, hearing loss, and feeding and digestive problems. These babies will require special care and spend weeks or months hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit. If you are pregnant, try and follow all of the rules and be as healthy as possible. Even if you are doing things right and you still have a preterm birth, this is not your fault. It happens. Just do the things you know how to do to keep you and your baby healthy and hope all goes well!

1)      Are there certain symptoms that you experience that determine early on if you will have a premature labor?

2)      Can you do some of the things that cause premature labor and not experience one?

3)      Can age cause premature labor?