Premature Birth

Premature births in the United States continue to rise and nearly 500,000.000 babies a year are born premature. This increase is up substantially from previous years. A full term pregnancy is a pregnancy that reaches anywhere from thirty seven to forty two weeks. A baby is considered premature if it is delivered before thirty seven weeks. In most cases when you are expecting twins there is a high probability that they will be born before the 37 weeks. When pregnant with twins you and your partner should have everything in place and be ready to go in the hospital early.
No one can say what causes premature births but certain risk factors may include:

• Drug use
• Smoking
• Poor diet
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Anemia
• Drinking alcohol
• Heavy lifting or physical labor 
• Not gaining enough weight during pregnancy                              

Many of the behaviors on this list can be controlled. Premature labor can be a very serious event. Premature birth is the leading cause of neonatal deaths, and premature babies who survive have health problems that sometimes last throughout their lives.

Depending on the pregnancy, an early labor contraction does not necessarily mean that you are going to give birth. A doctor may recommend that you stay in bed as a means of preventing or delaying labor. You may need to stop working and cease physical activities which can sometimes include sexual intercourse.

Common Health Issues Of  Premature Babies:

• Apnea. This is a pause in breathing for 20 seconds or more. Premature babies sometimes have apnea. It may happen together with a slow heart rate.
• Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). This is a breathing problem most common in babies born before 34 weeks of pregnancy. Babies with RDS don’t have a protein called surfactant that keeps small air sacs in the lungs from collapsing.
• Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). This is bleeding in the brain. It usually happens near the ventricles in the center of the brain. A ventricles is a space in the brain that’s filled with fluid.
• Patent ductus arteriosis (PDA). This is a heart problem that happens in the connection (called the ductus ateriosus) between two major blood vessels near the heart. If the ductus doesn’t close properly after birth, a baby can have breathing problems or heart failure. Heart failure is when the heart can’t pump enough blood.
• Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). This is a problem with a baby’s intestines. It can cause feeding problems, a swollen belly and diarrhea. It sometimes happens 2 to 3 weeks after a premature birth.
• Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). This is an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye. ROP can lead to vision loss.
  Jaundice.This is when a baby's eyes and skin look yellow. A baby has jaundice when his liver isn't fully developed or isn't working well.
• Anemia. This is when a baby doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the rest of the body.
• ronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). This is a lung condition that can develop in premature babies as well as babies who have treatment with a breathing machine. Babies with BPD sometimes develop fluid in the lungs, scarring and lung damage.
• Infections. Premature babies often have trouble fighting off germs because their immune systems are not fully formed. Infections that may affect a premature baby include pneumonia a lung infection; sepsis, a blood infection; and meningitis, an infection in the fluid around the brain and spinal cord. 
  Caring For Your Premature Baby
  Talk to your baby’s health care providers about any health conditions your baby has. He may be healthy enough to go home soon after birth, or he may need to stay in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) for special care. Your baby can probably go home from the hospital when he or she:

• Weighs at least 4 pounds

• can breastfeed or bottlefeed

• can breathe on his own

• Gains weight steadily(1/2 to 1 ounce each day)

• Can keep warm on his own without an incubator

Your baby may need special equipment, treatment or medicine after he leaves the hospital. Your baby’s provider and the staff at the hospital can help you with these things and teach you how to take care of your baby. They also can help you find parent support groups and other resources in your area that may be able to help you care for your baby.