Babies Birth Comes Too Soon - Baby Arriving before 38 weeks of pregnancy

A new study reveals that heart problems that a pre-term baby may face can be prevented through breast milk. Read on to know more.

Every expecting mom waits impatiently to hold her little bundle of joy after waiting through the nine months of gestation, after withstanding all the odds—morning sickness, hormones gone haywire, pain and a host of other unpleasant and sometimes unbearable physical symptoms. But what if your baby is born before time? A newborn arriving before 38 weeks of pregnancy is defined as a pre-term baby. A full-term baby is one who is born between 39-40 weeks plus six days of gestation. The last few weeks of pregnancy are extremely important as this is the phase when your little one’s brain and lungs develop. So, you if a baby doesn’t complete the full-term, then he or she is likely to be born with quite a few developmental and health challenges. Heart-related issues are one of those problems. In extreme case, these can be fatal too. But the good news is, your pre-term baby’s heart issue, small, under developed heart chamber for example, can be prevented simply with breastmilk.

WHAT DOES THE STUDY SAY?

According to the study, published in the journal Pediatric Research, apart from providing essential nutrients and immunity to your baby, breastmilk may help in preventing heart diseases in preterm infants. It has certain properties that can stimulate hormones and growth factors in a pre-term baby which strengthens his immune system by reducing inflammation and improving metabolism. It also speeds up the development of your born-too-soon child’s heart alleviating the risk of cardiac issues. For this study, the researchers observed 30 preterm babies who were fed breast milk and 16 preterm babies, who were fed a formula-based diet. After 23 years, they were asked to have an MRI of their heart to analyze their cardiovascular performance. In the MRI, it was noticed that those who were fed breast milk had scored better than those were on formula food. This was an observational study. So more evidence is required on how breast milk affects the heart health of a preterm baby.

HEART PROBLEMS OF PRE-TERM BABIES

Babies born before completing their full-term in the womb often come with complicated heart problems like patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), low blood pressure, smaller heart chambers and heart murmur. PDA refers to a condition where there is a persistent opening between the aorta and pulmonary artery of the baby. This is the result of an under developed heart. Most of these complications like PDA often subside on their own in adults but in preterm infants, intravenous fluids, medicines and sometimes blood transfusion may be needed.

WHAT INCREASES THE RISK OF A PRE-TERM BIRTH?

According to a WHO data, around 15 million babies are born prematurely all over the world. However, there are high risk groups who are likely to experience a pre-term birth. Advanced maternal age, underlying health conditions of the expecting mom—high BP, diabetes, etc.—can up the baby’s risk of preterm birth. Multiple pregnancies, genetic factors and certain lifestyle habits like smoking and drinking excessively can also be the culprits. Conceiving through in vitro fertilization also has the risk of preterm birth and heart complications in infants. Improper development of baby’s heart can be caused by the lack of space in the mother’s womb.