It is important to know the signs of preterm labor during pregnancy. Your midwife or doctor should go over the signs with you at a prenatal visit early in your pregnancy. This is particularly true if you are considered high risk for preterm labor. Some reasons that you may be considered high risk for preterm labor (labor before 37 weeks of pregnancy) include:
You are carrying more than one babyYou have a history of preterm labor You have had previous surgery on your cervixYou have certain infections
Even if you have none of the risk factors for preterm labor, you can experience labor before a full-term pregnancy. Any signs and symptoms of preterm labor prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy should be reported immediately to your doctor or midwife. The signs and symptoms include a backache that does not stop, more than five contractions in one hour, a release of your bag of water, cramping, bleeding, any lower abdominal or back pain, and anything else that you find concerning. Here are five things that you need to do if you believe you are in preterm labor: It is always better to be safe than sorry in this situation. If it is during office hours and your practitioner is open, you may be seen at that point. Some practitioners have this as a standard operating procedure, while others will ask you to go immediately to the emergency room. This may depend on your length of gestation, your previous history, and/or what symptoms you are experiencing. Whatever you do, don’t delay in seeking treatment. Preterm labor can sometimes be halted or delayed. Every day you remain pregnant is a positive one, buying time for treatments to prepare your baby for a preterm birth or by staving off labor until you are full term.
