Q: I am a 28 years old woman who experienced abdomen pain after having food during the sixth month of pregnancy. The doctor asked me to take a tablet named Pepsid or Gelusil but they didn’t work. Then I came back home from overseas but the ache did not subside. I had to eat only curd rice. If I had normal food, my stomach would hurt and sometimes I had to even throw up to feel better. When I was in my 32nd week of pregnancy, labour pain started and I delivered a premature baby weighing only 1.6 kg. Why did I deliver prematurely? I am planning for a second child. What precautions should I take?

A:There are many causes for premature pain and delivery like infection (urinary, genital, gut, or lung) maternal illnesses, fevers, anaemia, abnormality of uterus, fibroids, loose cervix, baby in abnormal position, big or small baby, or even amniotic fluid abnormalities. You first need to find out the cause for the preterm labour and then have treatment before planning next baby.