A premature baby is considered to be prematurely born between 28 and 38 weeks of gestation.

Causes of premature birth.

The birth of a premature baby can occur unexpectedly or, conversely, after weeks of fighting, the risk of too early appearance of the baby.

The most common reasons are:.

Abnormalities of the uterine structure;.

Cervical dilatation;.

Placenta previa;.

Pregnancy with twins;.

Smoking future mother;.

Alcohol consumed by a future mother;.

Infection that the mother has contracted (eg streptococcus B, lis-teriosis);.

Hit in the abdomen;.

Physical exhaustion from too hard work: long daily trips, work in harsh conditions (most affected by this problem are employees in trade, medical and social personnel, professional workers and service personnel).

Approximately half of the cases of the cause of preterm birth are not known exactly.

Signs of prematurity.

Preterm infants are characterized by the immaturity of all systems and organs, primarily the central nervous system. The degree of its expression depends on the time of birth of the child.

In preterm there is an arrhythmia of breathing, there may be periods of stopping breathing. They often have vomiting, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain, gas and stool retention.

Thermoregulation in premature babies is imperfect, so they quickly cool down and also quickly overheat.

In deeply premature children, the subcutaneous fat layer is completely absent.

In preterm short legs, the height of the head in relation to the growth is 1 / 3-1 / 4 the middle of the body - above the navel (in the donor - at the level of the navel).

There is an abundant growth of cuff hair not only on the back and shoulders, but also on the cheeks, forehead, thighs.

The auricles are soft, easy to turn inside, fit tightly to the skull.

In girls, the labia minora are not covered with large labia, the sexual gap gapes, the clitoris is clearly visible; Boys have no testicles in the scrotum.

There is a predominance of the cerebral cranium over the facial, wide open sutures, large dimensions of the anterior fontanelle, and often a small fontanel.

Care for a premature baby.

The health of a premature baby may be different. It depends on the time of his birth.

If the child has appeared in the period from 34 to 37 weeks, weighs more than 2 kg and he does not have any special problems, some maternity hospitals allow to leave the child with the mother, under special supervision. Then the child can be immediately attached to the chest, he will be surrounded by the mother's love, and his development can take place practically without violations.

If the child was born before the 34-35 weeks gestation period, it weighs less than 2 kg, if it is affected during difficult births, it is difficult for him to breathe, if there is a risk that he will receive malnutrition or may be infected with an infection, he is hospitalized In the clinic for premature babies. Immediately after birth, such a child should be heated by a warm air jet or heating lamps. Primary treatment is carried out on a special heating table. After that, the child is wrapped in warmed-up sterile diapers, in a blanket with a heating pad or placed in a warmed portable kuvez and delivered to the premature baby room, which is equipped with special equipment.

Health. Sumy. Ua.

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