| Full term pregnancy is 37 weeks. If you go | | | | |
| into labor before 37 completed weeks of | | | | Â- Lack of social support |
| pregnancy, this is preterm or premature labor | | | | |
| and too early for your baby to be born. | | | | Â- Stress |
| Preterm or premature babies have a higher | | | | |
| risk for lifelong or life-threatening health | | | | Â- Long working hours with long periods |
| problems. | | | | of standing |
| | | | |
| There are medications that can delay or stop | | | | The medical conditions during pregnancy that |
| preterm labor. In many cases these | | | | may increase the chances of a woman |
| medications can delay the birth long enough | | | | delivering too early include: |
| to get mom to a hospital with a neonatal | | | | |
| intensive care unit. If the baby still comes | | | | Â- Urinary tract infections |
| too early, there are also medications that | | | | |
| can improve the baby's health. | | | | Â- Vaginal infections |
| | | | |
| Symptoms of premature labor include: | | | | Â- Sexually transmitted infections |
| | | | |
| Â- Contractions (abdomen tightening like | | | | Â- Possibly other infections |
| a fist) every 10 minutes or more often | | | | |
| | | | Â- Diabetes |
| Â- Change in vaginal discharge (losing | | | | |
| fluid or bleeding from the vagina) | | | | Â- High blood pressure |
| | | | |
| Â- Pelvic pressure (a feeling like your | | | | Â- Clotting disorders (thrombbophilia) |
| baby is pushing down) | | | | |
| | | | Â- Bleeding from the vagina |
| Â- Low, dull backache | | | | |
| | | | Â- Certain birth defects in the baby |
| Â- Cramps that feel like your monthly | | | | |
| period | | | | Â- Being pregnant with a single fetus |
| | | | after in vitro fertilization (IVF) |
| Â- Abdominal cramps with or without | | | | |
| diarrhea | | | | Â- Being underweight before pregnancy |
| | | | |
| If you experience any "one" of the above | | | | Â- Obesity |
| symptoms you need to call your health care | | | | |
| provider or go to the nearest hospital and/or | | | | Â- Short time period between pregnancies |
| emergency care unit right away. | | | | (less than 6-9 months between birth and the |
| | | | beginning of the next pregnancy) |
| Any pregnant woman can experience preterm | | | | |
| labor and delivery. There are some women at | | | | Other high risk categories researchers have |
| higher risk for preterm labor. Researchers | | | | identified include: |
| continue to study preterm labor and birth; | | | | |
| they have identified some risk factors that | | | | Â- African-American women |
| include: | | | | |
| | | | Â- Women younger than 17 or older than 35 |
| Â- Women who have had a previous preterm | | | | |
| birth | | | | Â- Poor women are at a greater risk than |
| | | | other women |
| Â- Women who are pregnant with twins, | | | | |
| triplets or more | | | | Keep in mind that even if you have one of |
| | | | these risk factors, it does not mean for |
| Â- Women with certain uterine or cervical | | | | certain you will deliver your baby or babies |
| abnormalities | | | | early. This only means these are the risk |
| | | | factors identified by experts who study |
| Even if you are one in the above categories | | | | pregnancy and preterm labor. On the other |
| of high risk for a preterm birth, researchers | | | | hand, it is also possible for a woman to |
| still cannot predict which women will give | | | | deliver early who is "not" in one of these |
| birth too early. If you have a risk factor it | | | | high risk categories. Either way it is |
| does not mean you will be a woman to give | | | | important to know: |
| birth too early. It just means you might be | | | | |
| more likely to have problems of preterm labor | | | | Â- The signs and symptoms of preterm |
| or birth more so than other women. | | | | labor when you confirm a pregnancy |
| | | | |
| Also if you are a woman in one of the high | | | | Â- Know what to do if you have any of the |
| risk categories it is especially important | | | | signs and symptoms of preterm labor |
| for you to know the signs and symptoms of | | | | |
| preterm labor and what to do. | | | | Â- Take very good care of yourself and |
| | | | your baby while you are pregnant to help |
| Certain lifestyle factors may put a woman at | | | | ensure a full term delivery |
| greater risk of preterm labor. Lifestyle | | | | |
| factors include: | | | | Source: March of Dimes Association |
| | | | |
| Â- Late or no prenatal care | | | | Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to |
| | | | diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health |
| Â- Smoking | | | | problem. These statements have not been |
| | | | evaluated by the Food and Drug |
| Â- Drinking alcohol | | | | Administration. Always consult with your |
| | | | health care provider about any kind of a |
| Â- Using illegal drugs | | | | health problem and especially before |
| | | | beginning any kind of an exercise routine. |
| Â- Exposure to the medication DES | | | | |
| | | | This article is FREE to publish with the |
| Â- Domestic violence (physical, sexual or | | | | resource box. Article written 5-2007. |
| emotional abuse) | | | | |