What effects does premature birth have on the fetus? What are the care measures for premature babies?

Premature birth refers to the phenomenon that a fetus is born before full term. If the fetus is not full-term, it means that its development is incomplete. If it is separated from the mother's body at this time, it will definitely have certain effects on the baby, such as thin skin, poor resistance, difficulty regulating body temperature, weak swallowing ability, etc. Therefore, parents must take certain care measures for premature babies. Here we will introduce the impact of premature birth on the fetus and care measures.

1. The impact of premature birth on the fetus

1. The premature babies are born more prematurely, the thinner and more tender their skin is, the more water their tissues contain, the more sunken indentations they have, the redder their color is, the less subcutaneous fat they have, the less muscle they have, the shorter and shorter their nails are, the longer the lanugo on their trunk, the fewer and shorter the hair on their head is, the larger their head is, the wider the fontanelle, the flat and soft ear shells are in close contact with the skull, the soft chest cage, the dot-shaped areola with no protruding edges, the small or non-touchable mammary glands, the more swollen their abdomens are, and the scrotum is poorly developed. The testicles of premature male babies are often in the external groin and gradually descend into the scrotum during development. The premature female babies are born more prematurely, the more separated and prominent their labia minora are. There are fewer wrinkles on the soles of their hands and feet.

2. The body temperature is difficult to regulate and is unstable. The heat production function is limited, the muscles are few, the tension is low, and the posture cannot be changed to reduce the area of ​​heat loss. On the other hand, due to the immature development of sweat glands and incomplete sweating function, high body temperature is also prone to occur.

3. Weak resistance: The patient has extremely weak resistance to various infections. Even a minor infection can lead to serious consequences such as sepsis.

4. Premature babies have fast and shallow breathing, and often have irregular intermittent breathing or respiratory arrest. Their crying is very soft and cyanosis is common.

5. Premature infants have weak sucking and swallowing abilities, and their pyloric sphincter is relaxed, which can easily lead to choking, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal distension.

6. When there is trauma, hypoxia, infection, or coagulation disorder, bleeding is often easy and severe. The blood vessels in the brain are particularly prone to injury and bleeding. Sometimes unexplained pulmonary hemorrhage may occur.

2. How to judge premature birth

1. Clinical calculation

Get detailed information about previous menstrual cycles, inquire about the date of the last menstrual period, the onset of early pregnancy reactions, and the onset of fetal movements; determine whether the size of the uterus matches the month of amenorrhea based on gynecological examination during early pregnancy; and calculate the gestational age based on the current length of the uterus above the pubic symphysis and abdominal circumference.

2. Ultrasound examination

Fetal head diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length are closely related to gestational age and weight. Ultrasound measurements can be used to estimate gestational age and fetal size. The measurement of biparietal diameter is more accurate with less error, such as ≥85mm, 96% of fetuses weigh ≥2500g; the reliability of femur length measurement is about 90%, such as ≥6.8cm, fetal weight ≥2500g.

3. Fetal fibronectin (fFN) cotton swab test

Fetal fibronectin (fFN) is a glycoprotein secreted by the amnion, decidua, and chorion. It exists between the decidua and chorion and plays an adhesion role on the fetal membrane. After 21 weeks of pregnancy, the fusion of the chorion and decidua prevents the release of fFN. Therefore, the fFN content in normal pregnant women is extremely low at 22-35 weeks of gestation. When the chorion and decidua are separated and the extracellular matrix at the interface of the chorion and decidua is mechanically damaged or degraded by proteolytic enzymes, fFN leaks into the secretions of the posterior vaginal fornix. The fFN level in cervicovaginal secretions at 22-35 weeks of gestation is well correlated with premature birth.

3. Nursing measures for premature infants

1. Feed patiently. Premature babies do not have enough sucking strength, so you need to be more patient when feeding them. Generally, in the early days after discharge from the hospital, a feeding session usually takes 30-40 minutes. For babies who are discharged from the hospital and returned to home for care, the amount of food they are fed at each meal should be maintained at the original amount in the hospital during the first two or three days, and there is no need to increase the amount until they adapt to the home environment, and then gradually increase the amount.

2. Adopting a feeding method of small amounts at large meals and intermittent feeding (after every minute of sucking, pull the bottle out of the baby's mouth, let the baby breathe smoothly for about ten seconds, and then continue feeding) can reduce the occurrence of spitting up and respiratory pressure. Premature babies can be fed milk powder to promote digestion and increase nutrient absorption.

3. Premature babies are more sensitive to temperature changes, so attention should be paid to maintaining body temperature and temperature stability to avoid illness.

4. Go back to the hospital regularly for follow-up examinations and treatments: such as vision and hearing, jaundice, cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal digestion, and receive preventive injections, etc. Maintain close contact with your neonatologist so that you can consult at any time. Be proficient in first aid techniques for young children, such as how to deal with spitting up, convulsions, and cyanosis, in case of emergency.