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"   Question I have a three-year-old son, who was born at 33.5 weeks, due to an infection - I had Streptococcus B, I think. I would like to know if any subsequent pregnancies I have are likely to follow a similar pattern or whether this occurrence was likely to be an isolated incident.  I am otherwise fit and healthy.    Answer You are wise to consider the risks of another pre-term labour, and to consider the cause of your previous pre-term delivery.  There are many possible causes of pre-term delivery and it is often difficult to identify the primary reason.  The possible causes include excess amniotic fluid, diabetes, growth retardation in the baby, antenatal haemorrhage, uterine abnormalities and general infections, eg Streptococcus B.  Premature labour does tend to recur in subsequent pregnancies, but this is by no means invariable. About 2 per cent of deliveries occur before 34 weeks.  With the improvement in Special Care Baby Units more than 95 per cent of babies born at 32 weeks now survive.  In view of your problems last time it would be a good idea next time to ensure that you are referred early to an obstetrician, so that you can discuss with them what happened last time, and what action may need to be taken next time.  You will be alert to the possibility of premature labour and able to seek help early should signs of this occur again.  If you become pregnant again you will be screened for Streptococus B (around 30 per cent of women carry this organism) and if it&amp;#039;s found most specialists would advise treatment with antibiotics intravenously at the time of delivery. The presence of the bacteria itself is not usually a problem. In women who carry this bacteria, it often comes and goes and may return after treatment.  The main concern with this infection is that infection of the baby may occur at delivery.  This occurs in between 25 and 50 per cent of babies born to mothers who carry the Streptoccus, but only around 1 per cent of these babies will become unwell as a result of this organism.  Yours sincerely The NetDoctor Medical Team   Other Qs &amp;amp;amp; As Avoiding toxoplasmosis during pregnancy Chest infection during pregnancy Congenital cytomegalovirus Could contact with meningitis harm my unborn baby? German measles and pregnancy Is it safe to have a cat around during pregnancy? Is my unborn baby at risk of meningitis? Our daughter has an infection in her umbilical cord Scarlet fever and pregnant women West Nile virus and pregnancy  Last updated 24.02.2015 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ask-the-expert/infections/a5449/will-my-baby-be-born-premature-because-of-my-infection/>