Pre-term or premature labor is defined as labor that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy is completed. This is too early for your baby to be born and can sometimes result in complications. The earlier your baby is born, the more complications he or she may have.


About twelve percent of all pregnancies – that’s one in eight pregnancies – result in the delivery of a premature baby. Babies who are born prematurely are at higher risk of needing hospitalization, having chronic lung problems, having long term health problems, and even death.

Premature labor can happen to any pregnant woman; even if she does everything she can to have a healthy pregnancy. Most of the time there is no known cause as to why premature labor occurred. The best way you can protect your baby and yourself is to know the warning signs and what to do if you have them. If you start to show some of the signs and symptoms of pre-term labor you can contact your doctor immediately.

Here are the warning signs:

• Contractions (your abdomen tightens like a fist) every 10 minutes or more often



• Change in vaginal discharge (leaking fluid or bleeding from your vagina)



• Pelvic pressure—the feeling that your baby is pushing down



• Low, dull backache



• Cramps that feel like your period



• Abdominal cramps with or without diarrhea

If you show any of the above signs or symptoms, you should contact your doctor or go to the hospital right away. You do not have to have all of the above symptoms, even one, and you should go ahead and call your doctor. Sometimes premature labor can be delayed or stopped with a combination of medications and bed rest or if labor can not be stopped medications can be given to improve your baby’s health, but it’s important that you and your baby be checked and treated as soon as possible.

Source: March of Dimes