Does placenta previa cause preterm birth?

Written by Liu Wen Li
Obstetrics
Updated on January 16, 2025
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Placenta previa is likely to lead to premature birth. Why is that? Placenta previa refers to the condition where the placenta is positioned lower in the uterus, and the most common symptom is recurrent, painless bleeding during pregnancy. This is because the low-lying placenta often leads to frequent bleeding. If the bleeding is minimal, there is still hope to maintain the pregnancy, allowing the fetus to grow longer inside the uterus. However, in the event of heavy bleeding, if the baby remains in the uterus without delivery, a critical situation can arise due to blood loss, potentially leading to the disappearance of fetal heart activity. At this point, the pregnancy would need to be terminated, thus often resulting in premature birth.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Premature birth is how many weeks?

Premature birth refers to childbirth occurring before full-term pregnancy. In contrast, the terms miscarriage, full-term birth, and post-term birth are used, differentiated mainly by the gestational weeks. Miscarriage refers to the expulsion of a fetus before 28 weeks of pregnancy, premature birth refers to expulsion between 28 and 36 weeks plus 6 days, full-term birth refers to expulsion between 37 and 41 weeks plus 6 days, and post-term birth refers to expulsion after 42 weeks of pregnancy. The definition of premature birth being set between 28 and 36 weeks plus 6 days mainly stems from the fact that during this time period, the fetus already has a significant chance of survival. However, the overall survival rate is lower than that of a full-term birth. It is crucial to promptly treat the newborn in cases of premature birth, while also preventing complications in the mother.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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What are the signs of premature birth?

After 29 weeks of pregnancy, if the baby is born prematurely, it is called preterm birth. When preterm labor occurs, there are some early signs, mainly manifesting as the onset of abdominal pain, which is persistent and gradually worsens. Additionally, due to the contraction of the uterus, the abdomen becomes hard and localized muscle tension occurs, leading to a feeling of swelling. Moreover, when the amniotic fluid ruptures, the pregnant mother will feel a flow of liquid from the vagina and there will be an increase in intestinal activity compared to usual, along with some abnormal vaginal discharge. These are some of the signs of preterm labor.

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Written by Liu Wen Li
Obstetrics
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How to induce lactation in premature births

The lactation induction for premature births is actually the same as for full-term births. First and foremost, it starts with the individual. Through diet, the amount of breast milk can be increased, for example, by consuming more soups, such as rice porridge, noodle soup, milk, and soy milk. Since 90% of breast milk is water, replenishing water is essential for sufficient milk supply. Additionally, it is important to keep a pleasant mood. The mother should be happy and have enough sleep, as these factors can help increase milk production. Moreover, it is important to let the baby nurse more frequently and intensively, because the act of breastfeeding stimulates the breasts as a reflex. The more frequently and the more the baby nurses, the more milk is produced through this reflex. What should one do if the baby is premature and in pediatrics? In such cases, it's necessary to pump milk every 3 hours. Pumping itself also creates stimulation that promotes milk secretion.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Preterm labor signs

Premature birth refers to delivery between 28 to 36 weeks plus 6 days of pregnancy. Due to the lower body weight and immature organ development of the fetus, premature birth can lead to decreased survival rates and increased morbidity in newborns. The signs of impending premature birth include the following aspects: First, the occurrence of regular contractions, which are the most common sign of premature birth. If intermittent lower abdominal pain occurs, it should be taken seriously, and fetal heart rate monitoring may be necessary for assessment. Second, the appearance of blood in the vaginal discharge often indicates that the fetal presenting part is descending, which is also a sign of premature birth. Third, a physical examination may reveal shortening of the cervical canal and dilation of the cervix, suggesting the possibility of premature birth. When these conditions occur, they should be taken seriously, and medication may be necessary for treatment. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Zhao Li Li
Obstetrics
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How to correct the corrected age for premature babies?

Generally, as preterm infants are born several weeks early, this may lead to discrepancies in their specific months of age. If the preterm baby is developing well without other complications, it is possible to calculate the corrected age. Under normal circumstances, the simplest method to calculate the corrected age is to use the expected due date for calculation. Corrected age is calculated by taking the current age in days and subtracting the expected due date, which allows for accurately estimating the baby's current age in months. When the baby is between two and two and a half years old, you can add back the months previously subtracted, and calculate according to the normal age since, by then, the baby's developmental indicators are generally the same as those of a full-term baby.