Re: 24 weeks preterm labor

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Premature labor can be caused by a number of things, including infection (kidney, bladder, amniotic, etc.), smoking, poor nutrition, fibroids, high blood pressure, incompetent cervix, etc. The sobering reality is that around 40% of all premature labors and deliveries are left unexplained. Since you now have a history of premature labor, you're at a slightly increased risk of another (although no one can tell you just how high), but many, many women who have experienced preterm labor go on to have healthy, full term babies thereafter. With your next pregnancy, make sure that you receive impeccable prenatal care with an medical professional who's well aware of your history - s/he may want to see you more often than what is traditional in a "normal" pregnancy so that any potential problems can be discovered in a timely manner and be remedied. Aside from that and heeding all advice from your care provider, eating a well-balanced, healthy diet with lot of fluids and avoiding strenuous activity that triggers any symptoms is also recommended. Any time during your pregnancy you develop and all-around "ill" feelings (regardless of whether or not it's accompanied by contractions or backpain), see your health care provider immediately to rule out anything that may contribute to another preterm labor experience.

It's important that you believe that the cause of your preterm labor wasn't your fault and that sometimes, it just happens. In some cases, the causes are clear (in my case, for example, I contracted a listeria infection that caused PROM at 27 weeks) and in others, it remains a mystery.

I warmly suggest that you give yourself time to heal and grieve over your loss - you've been through a lot of emotional trauma and deserve a period of mourning for as long as it takes to get through this. Preparing your body emotionally, physically and nutritionally before attempting to conceive again and making sure you get the best prenatal care possible will be the best the thing you can do for you and your baby in the future. I wish you the best of luck with your next pregnancy and am praying for you through the healing process over your loss.

At Mon, 7 Aug 2000, Mascha wrote: >
>Recently I went into labor at 24 weeks pregnancy. Nobody expected it
>because everything was going very well with me and the baby. At april
>10th I wasn't feeling well, and had a little bit of pain in my stomach
>and cramps in my lower back. The doctor told me that it was nothing. I
>also lost a little bit of blood and a little bit of slime. The next day
>I had a strange feeling and decided to go to the hospital. There they
>told me I was having contractions and I had to stay for the night. They
>gave me medicine to stop the contractions. The next morning I went into
>labor and delivered a baby-girl. She survived for one hour and died in
>my arms. Since that time they have tested everything they could think
>of (laparoscopy with me, searches for a virus or bacteria, tested the
>placenta and searched for anything with the baby itself). Now, almost 4
>moths later they haven't found anything (the baby was healthy but too
>young to survive) and tell me that I can be pregnant again.
>Questions:
>Has anybody experience with this and did they find what caused it?
>What can I do to prevent a premature next time?
>Are there perhaps things that my doctor didn't think of?
>
>Thank you very much for yor reply,
>
>--
>Mascha
>

--
Tonja Brossette
OBGYN.net Coordinator
Pregnancy & Birth
tonja.brossette@obgyn.net

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