At present there are few effective ways to prevent premature births. Such births increase the risk of death or disability in babies.
2022: The state of South Australia has now launched a screening programme that offers free blood tests to all pregnant women to identify and treat those who are low in omega-3. This is due to the findings of a recent research study led by Maria Makrides at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, which investigated a possible link between low levels of the fatty acid omega-3 and premature birth.
It is not clear why omega-3 fatty acids protect against preterm birth, but there is some evidence that it influences pre-labour changes to the cervix and contractions of the uterus.
- The results of a trial of supplementation of omega-3 show that it is effective in reducing the risk of birth happening before 34 weeks of gestation by 77 per cent for women who started the trial with low levels of omega-3.
- However, the trial also showed that for those women who already had high levels of omega-3, the supplements actually increased the risk.
- This suggests that supplementation should only be recommended to women with low omega-3 levels. However, Makrides says that multivitamins that contain small amounts of omega-3 are fine for women who already have high levels.
Source: 'Omega-3 supplements could cut the number of pre-term births' by Alice Klein in New Scientist, 5th March 2022.
Some facts about prematurity.
- In the UK, about eight in 100 babies will be born prematurely.
- Premature babies, especially those born very early, often have complicated medical problems. The earlier the birth, the higher the risk of complications.
- Most premature births occur in the late preterm (34 to 36 weeks of pregnancy).
- Moderately preterm (32 to 34 weeks of pregnancy)
- Very preterm (less than 32 weeks of pregnancy)
- Extremely preterm (at or before 25 weeks of pregnancy).
Depending on how early the birth is, the following mild and more severe complications may be present at birth.
- Small size with disproportionately large head and sharper looking, less rounded features due to lack of fat stores. Fine hair (lanugo) covering much of the body.
- Low body temperature, especially immediately after birth (hence the need for incubators).
- Difficulty breathing and lack of reflexes for sucking and swallowing, leading to feeding difficulties.
- Other problems occur with breathing, heart complications, brain bleeds, low blood pressure, gut problems, anaemia and newborn jaundice, and gut problems.
In the longer term, after birth other complications may occur: cerebral palsy, impaired learning, vision problems, hearing problems, dental problems, behavioural and psychological problems, developmental delays and chronic health issues.
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