Am I at risk of preterm birth?

Preterm birth affects 7-8% of pregnancies. This is a very distressing situation for the whole family as premature neonates end up spending a lot of time in neonatal ICU. Premature babies are also at risk of several complications like poor growth and development, breathing difficulty, infections etc.

The biggest risk of preterm birth is a history of preterm birth in previous pregnancy. Smoking, urinary infection, bacterial vaginosis and medical conditions in pregnancy can increase your risk. Cervical insufficiency, preterm rupture of membranes, preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction and multiple pregnancies all increase your risk of having a preterm birth.

Preterm birth risk can be assessed by taking a detailed history, vaginal cervical length assessment and placental biomarkers. Once a risk is identified, you may need a cervical cerclage, medications as well as regular review to prevent you from having a preterm birth.