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Preterm
labor is a very serious complication of pregnancy. Unfortunately,
many women do not understand the signs of preterm labor.
Early detection can help prevent premature birth and
possibly enable you to carry your pregnancy to term
or to give your baby a better chance of survival.
Signs of Preterm Labor
Call
your practitioner if you have any of the following:
Contractions or cramps, more than 5 in one hour
Bright red blood from your vagina
Swelling or puffiness of the face or hands, a sign of
preeclampsia
Pain during urination, possible urinary tract, bladder
or kidney infection
Sharp or prolonged pain in your stomach (preeclampsia
signs)
Acute or continuous vomiting (preeclampsia signs)
Sudden gush of clear, watery fluid from your vagina
Low, dull backache
Intense pelvic pressure
Prevention of Preterm Labor
While
not all cases of preterm labor can be prevented there
are a lot of women who will have contractions that can
be prevented by simple measures.
One
of the first things that your practitioner will tell you
to do if you are having contractions is staying very well
hydrated. We definately see the preterm labor rates go
up in the summer months. What happens with dehydration
is that the blood volume decreases, therefore increasing
the concentration of oxytocin (hormone that causes uterine
contractions) to rise. Hydrating yourself will increase
the blood volume.
Others things that you can do would be to pay attention
to signs ond symptoms of infections (bladder, yeast, etc.)
because they can also cause infections. Keeping all of
your appointments with your practitioner and calling whenever
you have questions or symptoms. A lot of women are afraid
of "crying wolf," but it is much better to be
incorrect than to be in preterm labor and not being treated.
Management
of Preterm Labor
There
are a lot of variables to managing preterm labor, both
in medical options and in terms of what is going on
with you and/or your baby. Here are some of the things
that you may deal with when in preterm labor.
Hydration (Oral or IV)
Bedrest (Home or Hospital), usually left side lying
Medications to stop labor (Magnesium sulfate, brethine,
terbutaline, etc.)
Medication to help prevent infection (More likely if
your membranes have ruptured or if the contractions
are caused by infection)
Evaulation of your baby (Biophysical profile, non-stress
or stress tests, amniotic fluid volume index (AFI),
ultrasound, etc.)
Medications to help your baby's lung develop more quickly
(Usually if preterm birth in inevitable)
Prepartion for preterm birth
The
best key is always prevention and early detection. Make
sure to ask your practitioner to discuss the signs and
symptoms of preterm labor to you and your partner at
your next visit.
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