What are the factors that increase the risk of premature birth? [건강톡톡]

When a woman becomes pregnant, the fetus grows within the uterus for approximately 40 weeks. During this period, the fetus forms the structure of the body and grows with the functions necessary to sustain life. However, there are cases where the child is born early without completing the full pregnancy period, and this is called ‘premature birth’. Since premature birth occurs when the fetus is not fully developed, it inevitably places a physical burden on both the mother and the fetus. We heard in detail from a Hidoc specialist about why premature birth is dangerous and what factors increase the risk of premature birth.

Giving birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy is called premature birth | Source: Getty Image Bank
Q. Why is it said that premature birth is dangerous?
Preterm birth means giving birth before the 37th week of pregnancy, which is three weeks before the due date. The incidence of premature birth is approximately 8-10% of all deliveries, but among all newborns, more than 75% of perinatal mortality is due to premature birth.

This is because premature birth increases the risk of complications in premature babies, such as neonatal respiratory distress syndrome due to lung immaturity, sepsis due to immaturity of the immune system, intraventricular hemorrhage, pneumonia, and necrotizing enterocolitis. In particular, in cases of delivery at less than 32 weeks, premature birth is said to be dangerous as the neonatal mortality rate is bound to be relatively high.
– Hidoc Obstetrics and Gynecology Consulting Doctor Minwoo Kim (Cheongdam Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic)

Q. Why does the risk of premature birth increase when pregnant with twins?
When pregnant with twins (twins), the volume of the uterus can increase significantly, and the fetuses in the uterus may not grow evenly due to differences in nutritional supply, and may grow unbalanced. In addition, because the risk of fetal entanglement or umbilical cord entanglement during childbirth is higher than when giving birth to only one child, cesarean section is often considered at a slightly earlier stage to prevent emergencies. For this reason, you can think of twin pregnancies as having a higher risk of premature birth than normal deliveries.
– Director Gil Myeong-cheol, consultant doctor at Hidoc Urology Department

Q. Will exercising a lot during pregnancy affect premature birth?
The fetus is connected to the uterus through the placenta. However, since strenuous exercise can affect the attachment of the placenta and uterine contractions, caution may be needed regarding excessive exercise depending on the mother’s health condition. Even if exercise is not problematic for others, exercise may be restricted depending on the mother’s health condition, so I think that exercising after consulting with an obstetrician/gynecologist will help prevent premature birth.
– Director Gil Myeong-cheol, consultant doctor at Hidoc Urology Department

Q. I took diet pills without knowing I was pregnant, but I’m worried I might give birth prematurely.
When we investigated people who took diet pills without knowing they were pregnant and pregnant women who did not take diet pills, we found that pregnant women who took diet pills did not have a higher risk of fetal deformity, premature birth, or miscarriage than pregnant women who did not take the medication. It’s showing results. In other words, even in normal pregnancy, there is a risk of premature birth and miscarriage, but taking diet pills does not increase the risk.

However, this does not mean that it is safe to take diet pills while pregnant. Since it is a drug whose safety is not guaranteed, it can be considered to only pose a general risk of pregnancy if it is discontinued as soon as pregnancy is confirmed. It is best not to worry too much, as stress can have a more adverse effect on the fetus.
– Hidoc Family Medicine Consulting Doctor Choi Won-cheol (Io Clinic)

Q. I have uterine fibroids and am pregnant. Am I more likely to give birth prematurely?
In general, if you become pregnant while you have uterine fibroids, there is a high risk of miscarriage or premature birth. However, since not all of them lead to miscarriage or premature birth, it would be better to maintain the pregnancy and observe for now. If treatment is attempted first, this pregnancy will inevitably lead to miscarriage.
– Hidoc Obstetrics and Gynecology Consulting Doctor Jaeseong Lee (Easy Throw & Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic)

Q. Is there any way to prevent premature birth?
In fact, premature birth does not occur for just one reason, but can occur due to a combination of many reasons. These include △mother’s stress △short cervix length △mother’s age △virus infection △experience of premature birth, etc. First of all, it is important to not be stressed, not overexert yourself, get enough rest, and consume a balanced diet of nutrients. We also recommend that you visit an obstetrician and gynecologist regularly for checkups such as ultrasound and uterine contraction tests, and that you receive appropriate treatment at the hospital without missing any signs of premature birth. If abdominal pain is severe, abdominal pain occurs periodically, or bleeding occurs, you should immediately go to an obstetrician and gynecologist for treatment.
– Hidoc Oriental Medicine and Consulting Doctor Seongwook Moon (Changwon Dandanhanbang Hospital)

* This article is a reconstructed response from a Hidoc expert.

Help = Hidoc Counseling Doctor Kim Min-woo (obstetrics and gynecology specialist at Cheongdam Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic), Hidoc Counseling Doctor Director Gil Myeong-cheol (Urology Specialist), Hidoc Counseling Doctor Director Won-cheol Choi (Io Clinic Family Medicine Specialist), Hidoc Counseling Doctor Director Lee Jae-seong (Egisro) Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Ann Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic), Hidoc Consulting Doctor, Director Seongwook Moon (Oriental doctor at Changwon Dandanhanbang Hospital)