Does placenta previa cause preterm birth?

Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
Updated on February 01, 2025
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When a placenta previa occurs, it is likely to lead to premature birth. Placenta previa is a condition where, after 28 weeks of pregnancy, the placenta is positioned low in the uterus, often below the presenting part of the fetus, and attaches to the lower segment of the uterus or near the internal os of the cervix. In the late stages of pregnancy, dilation of the cervix can cause the placenta to be misaligned with the uterine wall, leading to recurrent, painless bleeding. When the bleeding reaches a certain amount, it can easily lead to premature separation of the placenta, inducing uterine contractions and the onset of premature birth. In cases of placenta previa with significant vaginal bleeding, it is necessary to terminate the pregnancy promptly.

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Written by Zhao Li Li
Obstetrics
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Does premature birth hypoxia affect intelligence?

Under normal circumstances, if a preterm infant suffers from hypoxia, severe cases may have an impact on future intelligence. However, if preterm infants experience hypoxia after childbirth, they generally receive oxygen therapy, which also affects their intelligence to some extent. Therefore, in daily life, it is still necessary to strengthen the care of preterm infants, adjust their diet, and after oxygenation, appropriately supplement DHA and other substances that can promote brain development and effectively improve issues such as delayed brain development in infants and toddlers.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Premature birth is how many weeks?

Premature birth refers to childbirth occurring before full-term pregnancy. In contrast, the terms miscarriage, full-term birth, and post-term birth are used, differentiated mainly by the gestational weeks. Miscarriage refers to the expulsion of a fetus before 28 weeks of pregnancy, premature birth refers to expulsion between 28 and 36 weeks plus 6 days, full-term birth refers to expulsion between 37 and 41 weeks plus 6 days, and post-term birth refers to expulsion after 42 weeks of pregnancy. The definition of premature birth being set between 28 and 36 weeks plus 6 days mainly stems from the fact that during this time period, the fetus already has a significant chance of survival. However, the overall survival rate is lower than that of a full-term birth. It is crucial to promptly treat the newborn in cases of premature birth, while also preventing complications in the mother.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Will swollen feet during pregnancy lead to premature birth?

Swelling of the feet is a common clinical symptom after pregnancy, but generally, foot swelling is not directly related to preterm birth. However, sometimes, if pathological factors cause foot swelling, it may lead to preterm birth. The most common cause of foot swelling during pregnancy is the increased size of the uterus compressing the veins and arteries in the pelvis, causing obstruction of venous return, which leads to swelling of the feet. However, this is a physiological change and does not cause preterm birth. Pathological factors, such as hypertension during pregnancy or renal diseases during pregnancy, might cause generalized edema. If the condition is severe, medical intervention for medically induced preterm birth may be required. However, it is the primary disease that causes preterm birth, not the swelling of the feet.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Is excessive amniotic fluid likely to cause premature birth?

Polyhydramnios is relatively common during pregnancy and can have a certain impact on the fetus. There are many reasons that can cause polyhydramnios, but regardless of the cause, polyhydramnios tends to lead to preterm birth. When there is an excessive amount of amniotic fluid, it puts significant pressure on the amniotic sac, which can easily lead to premature rupture of membranes. Premature rupture of membranes itself can stimulate the cervix, release inflammatory mediators, thereby causing contractions and symptoms of preterm labor. After the membranes rupture prematurely, infection within the uterine cavity is likely to occur, generally meaning that the possibility of keeping the pregnancy going for a long duration is unlikely. Therefore, polyhydramnios is associated with a higher risk of preterm labor. In clinical practice, if excessive amniotic fluid is detected during prenatal check-ups, it is advised to control the diet, engage in appropriate physical activities, or use other methods to keep the amniotic fluid level within the normal range.

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Written by Zhao Li Li
Obstetrics
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What does it feel like when the cervix opens prematurely?

Under normal circumstances, if preterm labor is already confirmed and the cervix is fully dilated, it is generally considered inevitable and preparations for the active resuscitation of the newborn should be made. Typically, if the cervix is fully dilated due to preterm labor, regular abdominal pain may first occur along with discomfort in the lower abdomen, indicating strong uterine contractions. After the uterus contracts, this leads to continuous dilation of the cervix until it expands to ten centimeters. Once fully dilated, the next steps in treatment are carried out, closely monitoring the condition of the premature infant after birth and providing symptomatic medication if necessary.