Premature deliveries or preterm births are increasingly common these days. If you go back a few decades you will notice that such cases were rare. So, what's driving early births of infants these days? And, most importantly, why is there a need to discuss this?
"The spontaneous onset of labour pain before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy is called preterm labour. The incidence of preterm labour is about 12%, and this rate is increasing nowadays," says Dr. Tasneem Nishah Shah, Consultant and Clinical Lead, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Manipal Hospital Whitefield.
This is a big concern for so many reasons. Preterm births are concerning because babies born before 37 weeks often have underdeveloped organs, leading to complications like breathing difficulties, feeding issues, and weak immunity. They are at higher risk for long-term health problems, including developmental delays, vision and hearing impairments, and chronic diseases like asthma.

India has the highest number of preterm births globally, with over 3.5 million annually, accounting for 23.4% of global preterm deliveries. Strengthening healthcare infrastructure, improving maternal nutrition, and raising awareness about prenatal care are critical to reducing preterm births and improving neonatal outcomes.
Prematurity is a leading cause of neonatal mortality globally. Preterm babies often require intensive medical care, such as incubators and ventilators, placing emotional and financial strain on families. Preterm babies in India face high risks of neonatal mortality, developmental delays, and long-term health issues due to inadequate neonatal care in many regions.
Preventing preterm births through improved maternal health and prenatal care is essential to ensure better health outcomes for both the baby and the family.
Deliveries that happen before 37 weeks of gestation are referred to as premature deliveries and have increased recently due to many determinants. One of the most significant factors for this rise has been the increasing burden of chronic conditions among pregnant women, such as hypertension and diabetes, says Dr. Dhwani Shah, Consultant Gynaecologist at Shalby Hospital. "Poor control of these conditions significantly increases the risk of preterm labor. Besides these, lifestyle factors contribute significantly to this increase, with smoking being one of them, and also a lack of access to prenatal care," she adds.

Adding to this, Dr. Preeti Prabhakar Shetty, MBBS, MD - Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Senior Consultant Obstetrician, Gynecologist, Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore, says, increase in preterm births in recent times could be attributed to different reasons infertility treatments, increase in maternal age, rise in maternal comorbid conditions like diabetes, hypertension, increase in the incidence of obesity in women in reproductive age group etc."

Dr Renu Raina Sehgal stresses on a big social change. "One of the main reasons is increased maternal age, where women are delivering children at an older age, which may increase the risk for complications," she says and adds "exposure to the environment, pollution, and toxic chemicals also contribute to early births. Most "assisted reproductive technologies" (ARTs), including IVF, result in multiple pregnancies whose risk of delivering early is at an increased probability owing to the pressure placed on a mother's body.”
Dr Tasneem sheds light on stress- one of the most common yet neglected aspects of a woman's health these days. "In my practice, I have observed that stress is a major factor contributing to preterm labour in patients. As maternal age increases, it often causes certain medical conditions that can indirectly increase stress," states Dr. Tasneem and lists other factors like genital tract infections, placental ischemia, uterine overdistention, short cervix, and uterine abnormalities.
"Preventing preterm births is very challenging, but there are preventive measures for the expectant mother to reduce the risk of suffering from this condition," says Dr Dhwani Shah.
"It is important to also know the warning signs of premature labour. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have contractions that are increasing in intensity and frequency, vaginal pressure, bleeding per vagina, decreased fetal moments, and vaginal discharge," explains Dr. Tasneem and recommends the following:

For women who are at high risk, healthcare care professionals may provide corticosteroids in combination with other medications for the development of the lungs of a fetus. Prenatal medical attention, in combination with an emphasis on lifestyle choices, may reduce one's potential for preterm birth but improve overall health during a gestation cycle, suggests Dr Dhwani.
"Expecting mothers should also monitor the signs of preterm labour, like contractions, back pain, or fluid leakage, and seek immediate medical attention when the symptoms appear. Early intervention could avert complications. Most premature births can be avoided with regular prenatal care and awareness, thereby ensuring a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery for the mother and child both," adds Dr Sehgal.