Reasons Babies Deliver Early
Many times, we don’t know why a preterm birth happens.
A Spontaneous Preterm Birth can happen because:
- A woman’s body goes into labor early (preterm labor), or
- The bag of water breaks (preterm premature rupture of membranes, PPROM), or
- The cervix opens too early (cervical insufficiency)
- Sometimes placental abruption (when the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus before delivery of the baby) can also be a cause of spontaneous preterm birth, particularly if the woman’s blood pressure is normal and there is no other good explanation for the abruption
A Medically Indicated Preterm Birth is a delivery recommended by a healthcare provider to reduce the risk to a woman or her unborn child. Common reasons for medically indicated preterm birth include:
- Pregnancy related problems, such as preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy)
- Maternal medical problems, such as diabetes
- Fetal problems, such as poor growth
Preterm Birth Prevention Clinic • 101 Manning Drive • Chapel Hill, NC 27514