Risk factors for Premature birth

There are several risk factors for premature delivery. In that, many are not yet identified by the research. A few risk factors can be changed or modified to reduce the risk, but others cannot be changed. Some of the risk factors are,

High-risk factors: 

Previous premature birth: Women who had a previous premature delivery have a high risk of giving birth to a preterm baby again.

 Pregnancy with twins, triplets or multiple: Being pregnant with twins, triplets or more have a high risk of premature delivery. Researchers say that more than 50% of twin birth occurred preterm when compared to only 10% of preterm birth in the single baby.

 Short intervals between pregnancies: Research shows women who have short intervals between pregnancies that are less than 6 months are likely to see a decreased length of subsequent pregnancies eventually leading to premature birth

  Abnormalities of the reproductive organs: Women who have a short cervix, or whose cervix shortens during the second trimester of pregnancy instead of the third trimester, have the risk of preterm delivery. Other factors like problems with the uterus and placenta will also lead to preterm birth.

Medical conditions:

 Infections: Some infections on the amniotic fluid, lower genital tract, and sexually transmitted infections may lead to complications that lead to preterm delivery.

 Placenta previa: It is a condition in which the placenta grows in the lowest part of the uterus and covers the opening to the cervix.

 Rupture of the uterus: This condition may occur when a woman has had a previous cesarean delivery or if any uterus tumor was removed previously.

 Chronic conditions: Certain chronic conditions like diabetes and blood pressure leads to complications.