Understanding and Preventing Premature Labor

A condition where labor occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy, potentially leading to health risks for the baby.
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Pregnancy | Infant Care | Maternal Health | Premature Labor Signs | Preterm Birth Prevention | Pregnancy Care | Infant Health Risks
Prepared by Lee Cheng, reviewed by Dr. Helena Rodriguez

Premature Labor FAQ


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What is preterm labor?

Preterm or premature labor is labor that begins early — before 37 weeks of pregnancy. A normal pregnancy period ( fetal development) is about 40 weeks. A pregnancy is “at term” at 37 weeks — anything before 37 weeks is called preterm. Labor is the process your body goes through to prepare for childbirth.

What is premature labour?

Premature labour is labour that happens before the 37th week of pregnancy. About 8 out of 100 babies will be born prematurely. a gush or trickle of fluid from your vagina – this could be your waters breaking You can also call your midwife or maternity unit if you're unsure or worried about anything.

What is preterm labor & how does it affect my baby?

Preterm labor occurs when regular contractions result in the opening of your cervix after week 20 and before week 37 of pregnancy. Preterm labor can result in premature birth. The earlier premature birth happens, the greater the health risks for your baby. Many premature babies (preemies) need special care in the neonatal intensive care unit.

What is a premature birth?

Premature birth (or preterm birth) is when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Babies born before 37 weeks can have health complications like trouble breathing or low birth weight. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center.

What is preterm labour?

Premature (preterm) labour | Ready Steady Baby! If you go into labour before you’re 37 weeks pregnant it’s called preterm or premature labour. If your labour starts early: Early labour can feel very different from labour at full term, so if you have any worries you should be seen by your midwife or obstetrician.

When does preterm labour start?

Being in premature (or preterm) labour means that you will start feeling regular, painful contractions before you have completed 37 weeks of pregnancy. The contractions will be strong enough to make the neck of your womb (cervix) to dilate. Premature labour most often happens between 34 and 37 weeks, but sometimes starts well before this.

How common is premature labour?

Fewer than 1 in 5 cases of suspected premature labour actually result in the baby being born. In 4 out of 5 cases, either the symptoms turn out to be something else, or the contractions stop of their own accord and the baby is born later. Who is at risk of premature labour? Usually the cause of premature labour is unknown.

Premature Labor References

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