“Premature babies can trigger various serious medical conditions. It is important to take preventive measures, such as adopting a healthy lifestyle and having regular pregnancy check-ups.”
Pregnant women are said to experience premature birth when they feel contractions that cause the cervix to open before the 37th week of pregnancy. This condition certainly needs to be watched out for, because premature birth increases the risk of various serious problems in babies. This is why mothers need to know how to prevent premature birth.
Most babies born prematurely require intensive care in the hospital. This is because premature babies also have the potential to have long-term physical disabilities and mental disorders. There are many things that can increase the risk of premature birth, but this condition can also occur in pregnant women who are not at risk.
How to Prevent Premature Birth
The risk of premature birth is higher in pregnant women who have previously given birth prematurely, have low birth weight, are under 17 years old or over 35 years old when pregnant, and have short pregnancy intervals.
Not only that, premature babies are also at higher risk for pregnant women with certain medical conditions. For example, hypertension, heart disease, preeclampsia, and diabetes. Unhealthy lifestyles also play a role, such as bad habits of smoking, drinking alcohol, working at night, and severe stress.
To avoid this condition, here are some ways to prevent premature birth that mothers can try:
1. Eat healthy foods
In order to have a healthy pregnancy, mothers need to get the nutrition they need. Avoid foods high in salt and fat because they can cause blood pressure and cholesterol to increase. Not only that, avoid sweet foods and drinks because they can trigger gestational diabetes.
Instead, replace it with consuming foods high in unsaturated fatty acids which are good for preventing the risk of premature birth. Food sources high in unsaturated fatty acids such as fish, nuts, and seeds.
2. Consider the distance between pregnancies
If the mother intends to have another pregnancy, make sure the mother considers the distance between pregnancies. Avoid getting pregnant at a distance of less than six months, or more than 59 months with the previous pregnancy. Because the distance between pregnancies can increase the risk of premature birth.
3. Avoid smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke
Both smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke are equally bad for the health of the mother and fetus. One of the effects is increasing the risk of premature birth. So, it is better to avoid both so that the health of the mother and baby is maintained.
4. Manage stress
Just like smoking, exposure to cigarette smoke, and consuming alcoholic beverages, stress can also have a negative effect on fetal growth and development. As another way to prevent premature birth, mothers must ensure that the stress they feel can be managed and overcome.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help from your partner, family, or close friends if you need help. In fact, there’s nothing wrong with getting expert help so that the treatment given is more targeted.
5. Do regular pregnancy check-ups
No less important, make sure the mother does regular pregnancy check-ups. Not only is it effective as a way to prevent pregnancy, doing regular check-ups also help doctors detect abnormalities in the fetus more easily. Thus, treatment can be done immediately.
