During late pregnancy, expectant mothers should be vigilant for signs of preterm labor. The best way to prevent preterm birth is to maintain maternal health and avoid illness. Here are 7 conditions that commonly lead to preterm labor—let's explore them together.
7 Conditions Prone to Cause Premature Birth
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): Symptoms include frequent urination, burning sensation during urination, and lower abdominal pain. Untreated UTIs may progress to hematuria (blood in urine) and high fever. Prompt antibiotic treatment is essential upon inflammation detection. Delaying treatment risks escalation to nephritis, which can lead to miscarriage or premature birth.
Canker Sores: These are superficial ulcers around the mouth caused by bacterial infection. Generally harmless, they mainly cause intense itching and produce white discharge. Pregnant women experiencing symptoms can apply ointments or oral suppositories, or dab honey or yogurt on the affected area.
Toxoplasmosis: This disease often presents no symptoms or mild cold-like symptoms. If a pregnant woman contracts it, she should undergo medical examination to determine if the fetus is infected. Undiagnosed cases may cause miscarriage or stillbirth, and may even lead to mental disorders or blindness in newborns.
Listeriosis: Symptoms resemble influenza and gastroenteritis. If diagnosed, pregnant women should undergo induced abortion, as the disease causes premature birth, miscarriage, or stillbirth. Since aborted fetuses are premature and have weak immunity, they may be prone to illness. Antibiotics should be administered to prevent sepsis or meningitis.
Rubella: This disease is now rare during pregnancy. Rubella can cause fetal brain and heart defects, deafness, cataracts, and other conditions. If contracted during pregnancy, the fetus is likely to be infected as well.
Smallpox: Maternal smallpox infection during pregnancy may cause pulmonary infection or pneumonia, but fetal transmission is uncommon.
Herpes: This disease manifests as painful blisters inside and outside the vagina. If it occurs during pregnancy for the first time and ulcers appear during delivery, a vacuum extraction should be performed to prevent infection of the newborn, as the disease can damage the brain.
So, what are the types of signs of preterm labor?
Types of Premature Labor Signs
Threatened Premature Labor: During mid-to-late pregnancy, sensitive expectant mothers may feel uterine contractions. These irregular contractions—occurring without fixed intervals and varying in duration—are not true labor contractions but rather physiological uterine activity, also known as Braxton Hicks contractions. If the intervals between contractions are less than 10 minuteswith a tendency to shorten progressively, and contractions lasting 20–30 seconds with a tendency to lengthen, these may indicate threatened preterm labor. Sometimes accompanied by vaginal discharge, cervical dilation, or premature rupture of membranes.
Inevitable Preterm Labor: In addition to regular uterine contractions with progressively shorter intervals, longer duration, and increasing intensity, this condition is accompanied by cervical effacement ≥75% and cervical dilation ≥2 cm; or progressive cervical effacement and dilation, along with bloody vaginal discharge or rupture of membranes. The clinical presentation resembles that of a full-term pregnancy.
Expectant mothers in late pregnancy should avoid these seven conditions.