Birth in the 33rd week of pregnancy

Unfortunately, pregnancy does not always proceed perfectly, smoothly and without complications. The percentage of preterm labor, despite all the achievements of modern medicine, is not yet possible to reduce and reduce. The proportion of preterm birth, which occurs at the 33rd week of pregnancy, accounts for up to 20% of preterm birth.

In this article we will talk about why this is happening, how such childbirth proceeds and what the consequences may be for a woman and her newborn child.

33 week of gestation in most expectant mothers proceeds quite calmly and measuredly. The screenings were left behind, now the expectant mom is set up for childbirth, which should take place, according to preliminary obstetric estimates, only after 7 weeks. Naturally, giving birth at week 32-33 is not included in the plans of the woman and her relatives. Therefore, their onset usually causes panic and bewilderment.

As already stated, according to medical standards adopted throughout the world, the birth of a child at 32-33 week is considered premature. For the crumbs now plays a crucial role every day he spends in his mother's womb, because his development is in full swing. Born on this term, the baby will be viable, but prematurely, and this means that doctors will have to try to save the crumb and make it so that the consequences for his health are minimal.

The child at this time is not yet ready for birth, but he is ready to try to adapt to the new conditions, if childbirth does happen. Growth crumbs at 33 weeks is about 43 centimeters, the baby weighs usually about 2 kilograms. With such a weight, a child is considered quite viable, but the problem is that premature births are usually caused by causes and factors that negatively affect the development of children, and therefore often at this period the weight of children at birth hardly exceeds a kilogram.

At the current time, various processes are actively going on in the children's organism, but Two are important for survival and vitality: weight gain due to the formation of subcutaneous fat and the accumulation of surfactant in the lung tissue. Subcutaneous fat is important so that the baby, after birth, can retain heat and not lose it, since systemic hypothermia for the newborn is a mortal danger. Usually, children born at 33 weeks of gestation have an amount of subcutaneous fat at the level of 5-6% of body weight and this is not enough to ensure normal thermoregulation.

The surfactant in the lung tissue is a special active substance that is produced by the alveoli, and which is necessary so that these bubbles in the lungs do not collapse after the child begins to use the lungs for their intended purpose. While he "breathes", getting oxygen from maternal blood. Surfactant at 33 weeks in most cases is not enough for a full and independent breathing of the baby after birth. Therefore, children need emergency resuscitation care, the forecast for the future will largely depend on the quality and accuracy of which.

The two main dangers for a newborn in this period are: distress syndrome (acute respiratory failure) and rapid heat loss. Assistance will be directed to creating a constant temperature and humidity around the child and to the supply of oxygen if his lungs cannot breathe on their own..

Children born at this time look somewhat unusual: they have rather bright red skin (due to a small amount of subcutaneous fat), as well as soft ears, because the cartilage tissue has not yet had time to harden. The nervous system continues to develop, at this period the respiratory reflex begins to train. The internal organs have completed their formation, but they still have to grow and grow; for the 33 weeks of gestation, a certain morphological and physiological immaturity is characteristic.

Statistics figures are always difficult to apply to individuals, especially to small premature babies, but still it’s worth mentioning. With proper care and timely resuscitation care, up to 90% of children born at week 33 survive. The degree of prematurity of children who saw the light on this period is usually the second. This gives hope that the outcome will be favorable. In total there are four degrees, the most favorable is the first, the heaviest and most difficult to predict is the fourth.

Births at 33 weeks of pregnancy, according to statistics, 88% of cases end in the birth of normal, healthy children, who, of course, have problems in the first few days, but with proper assistance they can be overcome. In 7% of cases, children born during this period have health problems that persist for a long time. In 2% of cases, children receive disabilities due to the total problems of the early neonatal period and their consequences. The number of children who survive only for a few days is less than 1%. About the same in quantitative terms and the probability of stillbirth.

It should be noted that the birth at this time can be of three types: threatening, beginning and beginning. The first two types of doctors leave the chance that the pregnancy can be extended by several weeks or at least days. If the birth has already begun, there is no way to stop them.

The following factors increase the likelihood of the onset of labor at week 33:

• burdened gynecological history (abortion, miscarriage, premature birth, missed abortion, surgery on the uterus and ovaries);
• exacerbation of chronic diseases in the mother;
• genital infections;
• cervical insufficiency;
• the presence of preeclampsia;
• diabetes;
• genetic pathology of the fetus, malformations;
• rhesus conflict;
• use of alcohol, drugs, smoking during pregnancy;
• lack of nutrition, lack of vitamins and minerals;
• multiple fetus

In many cases, it is not possible to establish the true cause of the onset of labor before the expiration date or several reasons at once.

If a woman gives birth at this time, a special control is exercised. Preterm birth is often accompanied by pathologies and deviations from the normal classical scheme. Childbirth can occur against the background of weakness of generic forces, in which the cervical dilatation will take place slowly or weaken the attempts.

The second fairly common option for preterm labor is the rapid or rapid birth of a baby, which is very dangerous from the point of view of the probability of birth injuries to a woman and fetus. If the birth of the child is not accompanied by such abnormalities of the birth process, the doctors will take birth as usual, without significant differences. Except that a children's doctor and resuscitator will be present in the labor hall and everything will be prepared in advance for the birth of a “problem” baby.

With complications, doctors can slow down or speed up contractions by injecting hormonal and antispasmodic drugs.

According to the reviews of women, after giving birth at this time in the maternity hospital, one has to spend significantly more time than after giving birth in time. Also, after 8-10 days, many are sent to the hospitals of children's hospitals, since children need special care and attention.

In the following video you will learn about the symptoms and causes of preterm labor.