Prematurity – How to Detect Issues Early
A premature birth happens at least three weeks before the expected due date (before the 37th week of pregnancy). While premature birth is fairly common, the earlier a baby is born, the higher the risk of complications to both the child and mother. But there are ways to assess risk and closely monitor a pregnancy to ensure a safe and timely delivery.
Indicators That a Pregnancy May Result in Pre-term Delivery
- Pregnancy with twins, triplets, or more
- Less than six months between pregnancies
- Conception through Invitro
- A short cervix (birth-canal)
- Smoking and doing drugs
Ways to Help Prevent Premature Birth
Because the causes of premature birth are so varied, there are a limited number of preventative measures. If a doctor believes that there is a high chance of a pre-term birth, there are two main treatments:
- Progesterone supplements
- Cervical cerclage (sewing the cervix closed until it’s time to give birth)
What are the Risks to the Child and Mother in a Pre-term Birth?
- Risks to the Child
- Small size with larger-than-average head
- Lack of fat stores leading to low body temperature or sharp features
- Difficulty breathing and/or feeding
- Other internal issues
- Risks to the Mother
- Elevated risk of Ischemic Heart Disease
- Elevated risk of high blood pressure
- Elevated risk of diabetes
Tools to Help
To help both mother and baby, MedGyn provides equipment that can help detect issues that may lead to premature birth. We also provide monitors for use during delivery to make sure both mother and baby are looked after closely.
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MedGyn Fetal Monitor F6
- Highly sensitive, waterproof transducer
- Signal overlap verification
- 24-hour backup memory
- 60-hour information storage
- Intrapartum monitoring option
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Pocket Doppler
- Audio recorder
- FHR (fetal heart rate) detection with clear sound
- Interchangeable waterproof probes
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MedGyn Q5 Color Ultrasound System
- Tissue-Harmonic and Doppler Imaging (THI) on all probes
- Measurement and reporting software
- Real-time 4D and hands-free 3D options
You can see MedGyn’s line of obstetrics equipment here. We wish every mother and baby a safe birth and a bright and healthy life.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/premature-birth/symptoms-causes/syc-20376730
https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Casey-Crump-53988355
