Impending Premature Birth

“Threatened preterm birth” (synonyms: threatened preterm birth; threatened labor; preterm labor aspiration; frustrated contractions; frustrated contractions; useless labor; preterm labor onset), although commonly used, is not listed as such in the ICD as a pregnancy complication term. It is grouped under:

  • ICD-GM O47.-: Frustrant contractions [Useless contractions].
  • ICD-GM O47.0: Frustrant contractions before 37 completed weeks of gestation.
  • ICD-GM O47.1: Frustrant contractions from 37 or more completed weeks of gestation.
  • ICD-GM O60.-: Preterm labor and delivery. Onset of labor (spontaneous) before 37 completed weeks of gestation.
  • ICD-GM O60.0: Preterm labor without delivery.
  • ICD-GM O60.1: Preterm spontaneous labor with preterm delivery.

The incidence (frequency of new cases) of premature birth in Germany is approximately 9%. In European comparison, it is high (the lowest incidence rate in Europe has Finland with 5.5%, followed by Sweden with 5.9% and Norway with 6.0% (WHO report 1990)). In some African countries, such as Malawi, Congo, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, it ranges from 16% to 18%. For many years the rate of preterm births has remained the same, only the number of extreme preterm births < 28 weeks gestation (SSW) has risen sharply to about 65%. The exact causes are not yet known. Among other things, the increase in multiple pregnancies, the increasing age of pregnant women and the increase in diseases, especially gestational diabetes (gestational diabetes) are discussed.

Course and prognosis: The prognosis depends primarily on the gestational age and thus the maturity of the child. The lethality (mortality related to the total number of people suffering from the disease) is particularly high in the extreme preterm births. Prematurity accounts for approximately 77% of the total perinatal mortality (number of infant deaths in the perinatal period/deaths and deaths up to the 7th day after birth) in Germany. In addition, children are burdened by a high rate of pronounced handicaps, particularly affecting intellectual disabilities.