Preterm Birth Risks Seldom Discussed

New or expectant mothers and their physicians do not discuss preterm birth as often as they should, according to a March of Dimes and BabyCenter survey.

One in eight babies in the US is born preterm each year.

Despite the fact that prior preterm birth is a major risk factor for delivering another baby prematurely, nearly 40 percent of women who had a previous preterm delivery were not informed of this by their physicians.

Talking about Preterm Concerns

Dr. Alan Fleischman, March of Dimes medical director, says, "If you've had a preterm birth, talk to your doctor because the greatest risk factor for having a preterm baby is if you've already had had one.

"Our survey found that a lot of moms don't feel informed about preterm births’ risk factors and potential consequences,” says Dr. Fleischman."Early prenatal care, including reviewing medical history and lifestyle habits, is an opportunity to give babies a better chance of a healthy, full-term birth."

The survey included more than 1,000 participants, including new or expectant mothers, mothers who have experienced preterm birth, and their obstetricians/gynecologists.

It showed that more than two-thirds of new and expectant mothers did not know the correct definition of preterm birth (less than 37 weeks of completed weeks of gestation).

One-third of women were not able to pinpoint risk factors associated with preterm birth.

Checking with Your Physician

Among the other findings from the survey:

• Only 15 percent of mothers who had experienced preterm birth discussed preterm delivery with their physician before the second trimester, and nearly 40 percent did not know they were at risk for a subsequent preterm birth.
• Less than half of new or expectant mothers said they felt very informed about symptoms of preterm labor, and even fewer felt very informed about lifelong consequences.
• Among obstetricians/gynecologists, most cited the lack of preterm birth prevention options as a challenge in broaching the topic of preterm delivery with patients, and more than half cited concern about causing undue fear or worry.

Dr. Fleischman concludes that having that a conversation about preterm birth should take place early enough so the mom-to-be can address any risk factors and treat any health conditions that may put her or her baby at increased risk.

Always consult your physician or other healthcare provider for more information.