Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
Preterm, or premature babies, are babies born between 22 and 37 weeks of pregnancy. Another parameter that describes premature babies is the baby’s weight. A premature baby is also a child who, at birth, did not weigh more than 500 g. The week in which the baby is born is of great importance for his health and chances of survival.
A premature baby is a huge challenge for parents. A baby born prematurely is at high risk of complications. Babies born before 34 weeks of gestation must remain in the incubator. Its further development depends mainly on what week it was born and in what condition it was.
Premature baby – causes
Premature termination can happen at any time. The reasons for early labor are unclear. There are many factors that contribute to the increased risk of prematurity, and unfortunately most of them are beyond the control of women. The reasons for the birth of a premature baby can be divided into social and medical. The social causes of prematurity include:
- alcohol consumption, smoking and drug use;
- malnutrition;
- short period between subsequent pregnancy;
- strenuous effort and work over 40 hours a week;
- maternal age – the risk increases in mothers under 16 and over 36;
- neglect in the period of prenatal care;
- lack of support in the family;
- low education and social status.
As for the medical factors, these are:
- defects in the structure of the uterus;
- cervical failure;
- premature termination of a previous pregnancy;
- urinary and genital tract infections;
- infectious diseases;
- pathological changes in the placenta;
- bleeding during pregnancy;
- multiple pregnancy;
- long use of glucocorticosteroids;
- diabetes;
- oozing amniotic fluid;
- anemia;
- hypertension.
Premature baby – symptoms
A premature baby is characterized by several of the following characteristics:
- premature baby is covered with fetal fluid, which should disappear around 36 weeks;
- premature baby has thin skin with not fully formed fatty tissue;
- extreme premature babies are covered with nap, which disappears after the 28th week of pregnancy;
- premature baby has no cartilage in the auricle – it appears after the 34th week of pregnancy;
- in premature babies below 37 weeks of gestation, the testicles have not yet descended.
Prematurity is also indicated by many features of a neurological nature. One of them is, for example, the straightened limbs of a premature baby at birth.
Premature baby – problems
Neonatologists deal with health problems of premature babies. Today, the chances of a premature baby to survive are much greater than even a few years ago. The problems of premature babies include, among others immaturity of the lungs and breathing problems or immaturity of the nervous system. It should be remembered that each subsequent week in the mum’s womb increases the baby’s chances of normal development and minimizes problems after birth. No even the most modern equipment can replace the natural environment in the uterus.
It is worth remembering that all treatments performed after birth, as well as light or sounds after delivery, affect the premature baby and the baby may react differently to them.
For many premature babies, the greatest problem is psychomotor development disorders, which is why rehabilitation is performed from the first days when the baby is in the incubator.
Premature baby – care
Caring for a premature baby from the very beginning is of great importance. At the beginning, it is important to arrange a premature baby in the so-called sockets. In addition, babies born before 34 weeks of gestation do not have a suckling reflex, so they cannot be breastfed. The mother should therefore express the food that can be fed to the baby through the tube straight into the stomach.
Each parent leaving the neonatal ward receives individual recommendations from the doctor regarding both nursing, medical care and rehabilitation.
Premature baby – development
In the case of premature babies, the initial development of the child is assessed on the basis of the so-called corrected age. It is calculated by subtracting from the child’s age the number of weeks the child was born too early.
Premature babies require more careful observation and attention when it comes to their development and learning new skills. Preterm babies’ growth is not uniform, so there are periods of rapid learning and progress, as well as downtime.
For obvious reasons, premature babies will have problems for longer, e.g. sitting. They may also have problems with their eyesight and hearing. Unfortunately, it is also common for premature babies to suffer from cerebral palsy. It means damage to the brain structures of a permanent nature that permanently impair a child’s psychomotor development.
The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website.