Premature Birth (redirected from Preemies)

premature birth

Birth less than 37 weeks after conception. Infants born as early as 23–24 weeks may survive but many face lifelong disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness). Premature infants account for 8–9% of live births but two-thirds of infant deaths. 40–50% of cases have no explanation; other cases can be attributed to such causes as maternal hypertension or diabetes, multiple pregnancy, or placental separation. With good care, about 85% of live-born premature infants should survive. Infants born very early (before 32–34 weeks) lack fully developed lungs and often develop respiratory distress syndrome. They also have problems maintaining body temperature and fighting infection. Most deaths result from breathing problems, infections, and brain or lung hemorrhages. Premature infants are characterized by low birth weight, small size, irregular breathing, absence of subcutaneous fat, and thin skin.

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Premature Birth 

the premature ending of pregnancy, the birth of a premature infant. According to various statistics, 2.5 to 5–6 percent of all births are premature. There are various causes of premature birth. Some are associated with the fetus, and others with the mother. The causes include congenital defects in the development of the ovum, hydramnios, anomalies of placental attachment, improper fetal position, gestoses, previous abortions, multiple pregnancy, chronic and acute infections (brucellosis, toxoplasmosis, listeriosis, influenza, tonsillitis, viral hepatitis), inflammatory processes of the sexual organs, neoplasms, infantilism, and muscular insufficiency of the upper uterine cervix. Neuroendocrine disorders (ovarian and thyroid functional disturbances, diabetes) can also cause premature birth. Women with diseases of the kidneys, liver, and cardiovascular and nervous systems often give birth prematurely.

Conservative treatment is directed toward removing the basic causes of the premature birth. Surgery is required when there is muscular insufficiency of the upper uterine cervix. Treatment is administered before and during pregnancy. Preventive and therapeutic measures are directed toward detecting and removing the basic causes of premature birth. Such measures consist primarily of prenatal care of both the mother and fetus.

REFERENCES

Persianinov, L. S. “Profilaktika i lechenie pri nedonashivanii beremennosti.” In Zhenskaia konsul’tatsiia, 2nd ed. Minsk, 1962.
Konstantinov, V. I. “Nedonashivanie i perenashivanie beremennosti.” In Mnogotomnoe rukovodstvo po akusherstvu i ginekologii, vol. 3, book 1. Moscow, 1964.
Bodiazhina, V. I., A. I. Liubimova, and I. S. Rozovskii. Privychnyi vykidysh. Moscow, 1973.

O. K. NIKONCHIK