Growing number of assisted reproductive techniques in the UAE increases risk of pre-term labour

Abu Dhabi, UAE: One of the main risk factors for pre-term labour is the constantly growing number of assisted reproduction techniques used in the UAE. Without firm regulation on the number of embryo transfers, this process could potentially lead to an increase in multiple pregnancies, pregnancy complications, and spontaneous pre term delivery.

The Foetal Medicine Department at the Corniche Hospital, Abu Dhabi is a tertiary referral centre formulated to provide the best plan of management for preterm births.  At the Foetal Medicine Department, pre-term is defined as babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed. An estimated 15 million babies are born early every year; that is more than one in 10 babies. Around one million children die each year due to complications of preterm birth.

According to Dr Soha Ahmed Said, Consultant ObGyn, Corniche Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAE, “Causes of preterm birth are still not completely understood. It is unclear whether preterm birth results from the interaction of several causes or the independent effect of each cause. In the UAE, we don’t have proper incidence of pre-term labour as there is no pre-term birth registry to give us a true prevalence.”

Dr Soha will deliberate on the 10 things to know about pre-term labour at the Obstetrics & Gynaecology Conference during the Arab Health Recruitment & Training Fair organised by Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions from 18-20 October 2014 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

“Causal factors linked to preterm birth include medical conditions of the mother or foetus, genetic influences, environmental exposure, infertility treatments, behavioural and socioeconomic factors and iatrogenic (illness caused by medical examination or treatment) prematurity,” commented Dr Said.

The sub-categories of pre-term birth, based on gestational ages are: extremely pre-term (<28 weeks), very pre-term (28 to <32 weeks), moderate to late preterm (32 to <37 weeks). Induction or caesarean birth should not be planned before 39 completed weeks unless medically indicated.

“There are various risk factors for pre-term birth,” says Dr Said. “These include demographic characteristics, behavioural factors, and aspects of obstetric history such as previous pre-term birth. Demographic factors for pre-term labour include; extremes of maternal age (< 17 years or >35 years), low socioeconomic status, and low pre-pregnancy weight."