What are the signs of premature labor?

Preterm or premature labor is classified as labor that begins at or before the 36th week of pregnancy. Most preterm births take place after 32 weeks, but 6% of all preterm births occur by the 28th week of pregnancy. Early detection is critical for doctors to stop the labor or provide other potential life saving treatments for the baby as well as the mother.

Warning signs of preterm labor include:

• Contractions which occur at least ten minutes apart may be a sign of early labor and can be mild enough at start to be confused with Braxton Hicks contractions, or false labor. Such contractions may or may not have regular intervals, but if you have at least four or five an hour, it is better to call your doctor or midwife.

• Cramping: The severity of cramping or pain in the abdomen could vary, depending on the individual. In several cases, this has been described as similar to the cramping that occurs during a normal period.

• Discharge: Many pregnant women experience certain degree of discharge during their pregnancies. Any changes in the vaginal discharge, particularly clear fluid, spotting or bleeding must be reported to your doctor or midwife at the earliest. Any fluid loss should also be reported to your doctor or health care provider. Some women feel a gush of fluid if the membranes rupture, but it could just be a slow trickle, if blocked by the baby's head.

• Infection: Certain infections, mostly Beta strep, urinary tract infections as well as sexually transmitted diseases can play a major role in preterm birth. The best way to decrease this risk is to treat any infections, report symptoms to the doctor and your health care provider so that they can carefully monitor you for signs of preterm labor.

• Low Back Pain: Lower back pain may be an early warning sign of preterm labor, as well as a discomfort of pregnancy. Sudden lower back pain needs to be reported to your doctor, as it can be a sign of early labor. What is sometimes mistaken for a normal discomfort could actually be back labor.

• Pressure: feeling some pressure in the pelvis or the vagina could be a signal of early labor. Feeling the baby pressing down or feeling the baby dropping into the pelvis before the 36th week of pregnancy signals that things are happening too soon. Report these symptoms as early as possible to your doctor or midwife. If there are certain changes in the baby's movement pattern, mainly a noticeable reduction in movements, it is better to notify your doctor or your health care provider immediately.

Premature Labor Risk Factors

Although nearly 40 percent of preterm births have no particular explanation, there are some risk factors that make preterm labor most likely. Some of these factors involve the baby while others are maternal risk factors. Fetal conditions which increase the risk of a preterm labor include having a multiple pregnancy, congenital abnormalities in the baby and fetal death. Women with multiple pregnancies, who carry babies with congenital abnormalities, those who have a history of preterm labor or any other risk factors will need more monitoring of the fetus during pregnancy.

Other conditions that can increase risk of preterm labor include abnormalities of the cervix or uterus, infections, abnormalities of the placenta like placental abruption or placenta previa, ruptured membranes. Certain lifestyle factors, for instance, drug abuse and maternal smoking could also create a greater risk of early labor. Openly discuss any issues with your doctor or health care provider, so that you can be more closely monitored and any existing problems will be found much earlier.