What should pregnant women do if they have an emergency delivery at home? How to prevent emergency delivery

Premature labor can have an impact on both the mother and the fetus, so it is important to have relevant knowledge. So what is premature labor? What are the symptoms of premature labor? What should you do if you have a premature labor? How can you avoid premature labor? What are the dangers of premature labor? The following editor will introduce you in detail.

What is expedited labor?

Precipitous labor is also a type of abnormal labor, which can have adverse effects on mother and baby. Precipitous labor means that the cervix dilates at a rate of more than 5 cm/hour, and the labor ends in a short time after the cervix is ​​fully opened quickly, making the total labor process less than or equal to 3 hours. The causes of precipitous labor may be excessive uterine contraction, loose or defective uterine opening, laceration of the birth canal of multiparous women, and improper use of oxytocin.

Symptoms of premature labor

Pregnant women who are more than 28 weeks pregnant suddenly feel pain in the waist and abdomen, and within a short period of time they will have a bowel movement urge (some pregnant women even forcefully defecate in the toilet and deliver the fetus);

Regular lower abdominal pain occurs within a short period of time, with very short intervals;

Water breaking, bleeding, and a feeling of having a bowel movement;

The fetal head can even be seen exposed at the vaginal opening.

What to do in case of emergency delivery

Mom's treatment

1. In order to prevent the fetal head from rushing out of the birth canal too quickly and causing severe tears and lacerations to the birth canal and perineum, family members can try to hold a small towel to press the mother's perineum with one hand, and use the other hand to block the fetus and guide it slightly upwards so that it can slowly squeeze out of the vaginal opening.

2. A few minutes after delivery, a stream of blood usually flows out, and the placenta is automatically delivered accompanied by strong uterine contractions. The mother can massage her abdomen by herself and push the uterus below the navel so that there will not be too much bleeding.

Baby's treatment

1. Protect the fetus: There will be vernix caseosa and amniotic fluid on the surface of the newborn's body. During delivery, you should avoid the head from hitting or sliding onto the ground.

2. Cutting the umbilical cord: A simple method is to fold the umbilical cord in half and tie it tightly with a rubber band or rope to block the blood flow to prevent the baby's blood from returning to the mother's body. Then use a pair of sterilized scissors at home to tie the two ends of the umbilical cord tightly and cut it off, and disinfect the broken end with alcohol.

3. Keep breathing smooth: After wiping the serum off the newborn's face, grab his feet and lift him upside down, pat the soles of his feet or massage his back. This will help drain the amniotic fluid in his mouth and nose and stimulate him to cry.

4. Pay attention to keeping warm: As soon as the fetus leaves the mother's body, it will immediately be subjected to a rapid decrease in temperature. After cleaning and drying, cover it with a large towel as soon as possible and hold it in your arms to keep it warm.

How to avoid premature labor

1. For multiparous women

Pregnant women who are found to have a low-birth-weight fetus or are at risk of premature birth during prenatal diagnosis may give birth within a short period of time once they enter labor. Premature and low-birth-weight babies need to be transferred to pediatrics for diagnosis and treatment immediately after delivery. Therefore, it is best to contact the hospital as soon as signs of labor or premature birth occur so that possible emergency delivery can be dealt with.

2. For first-time mothers

First, understand the signs of labor, such as bleeding (bloody vaginal discharge), water breaking (a lot of watery vaginal discharge), tight uterus, lower abdominal pain, back pain, and the urge to defecate. Expectant mothers must have regular prenatal checkups, and avoid going out or doing physical labor two weeks before the due date, otherwise it may lead to premature labor. Once there are signs of labor, go to the hospital in time to wait for delivery.

3. For expectant mothers who are known to have a possible premature birth

If a pregnant woman is known to be at risk of premature birth, she can start planning for the birth after full term, and once signs of labor appear, she should go to the hospital as soon as possible to prepare for delivery.

You can do the following first:

1. Discuss the delivery mode with the midwife.

2. Prepare the items needed for hospitalization during childbirth (including personal toiletries, documents required for hospitalization, etc.).

3. Decide on someone to accompany you during the birthing process and arrange transportation to avoid being caught off guard.

What are the dangers of premature delivery?

For mothers: Precipitous labor is mainly caused by rapid and urgent contractions of the uterus. Excessively rapid contractions can easily cause birth canal rupture, postpartum hemorrhage and postpartum infection. If the degree of rupture is severe, it will have a great impact on the mother.

For the baby: Due to the strong and rapid contractions during precipitous labor, the mother's uterine contractions are not intermittent, which will block the blood circulation in the fetal pelvis, and the fetus is prone to ischemia and hypoxia, resulting in intrauterine distress. If the fetus is born too quickly, the blood vessels in the head may rupture, causing dangers such as intracranial hemorrhage.