Pre-termbirthhasbecomequiteprevalent worldwide.Thenumberofbabiesdeliveredbefore 37weeksisrisingexponentially,increasingthe riskofpregnancycomplications.Thesebabiesare keptinthematernityhospitalinVashi,Navi Mumbai,longerthanusual.
Morethanhalfofthebabiesbornpre-termdieor sufferfromvarioushealthconditions,suchas breathingdifficulties,cerebralpalsy,slow development,andhearing&visionproblems.A newstudyshowsthatprogesteroneinafemale’s bodycanmitigatetheriskofpre-termbirth.
Progesteronetherapyisalsoconsideredaviable treatmentforwomenwithashortcervix(space betweentheuterusandvagina).
ProgesteroneTreatment
Hormoneprogesteronemightbeeffectivefor peoplewithashortcervix,asitdecreasestherisk ofpre-termbirthduetothesmallerspacebetween youruterusandvagina.However,there’sno evidencethatprogesteronetreatmentcanhelp womenwithotherissues.
Alotoffactorscantriggerpre-termdelivery.This hormonaltreatmentmaynotworkforthose factors.So,it’simportantthatyoudiscussyour
conditionandgoalswiththebestgynecologistin Vashi,NaviMumbaitounderstanditsrisksand benefits.
NewResearchonProgesteroneandPremature BirthConnection
Theexactcauseofpre-termbirthisstillnotknown, althoughit’sbelievedthatonceawomandeliversa babybeforetheduedate,there’sachancethey mightexperienceanotherpre-termbirth.
Researchin2003showedthatwomenwitha historyofpre-termbirthwere34%lesslikelyto deliveranotherbabybefore37weeksiftheywere givenprogesteroneinjections.Anotherstudy showedthatprogesteroneinjectionsmaynot completelyeliminatetheriskofpre-termbirth,but canleadtogestationaldiabetes.
There’slimitedresearchregardingtheconnection betweenprogesteroneandpre-termbirth.Whileit
maylowertheriskofanotherprematuredelivery, theeffectsarenotthesameforeverywoman.So, whatdoesthisresearchmeanforwomenwho havehadpre-termdeliveriesinthepast?
WomenwithaHistoryofPre-termBirth
Progesteronehaslongbeenusedtodecreasethe riskofmiscarriageinthefirstfewweeksof pregnancy.Althoughyourbodyproducesthis hormonenaturally,itcanbegivenasasupplement tofosterhealthypregnancy.Notethattheabove studieshavenothingtodowiththevaginal progesteronetreatmentgiventowomenwitha shortcervixandahistoryofpre-termbirth.As mentionedbefore,thosewithashortcervixareat anincreasedriskofprematuredelivery.
Ifyouhavehadaprematuredeliveryonceandyou arestressedaboutplanninganotherpregnancy becauseofthehighriskofcomplications, rememberthatit’sstillabsolutelypossibletohave