Understanding preterm labor and what you should do

Shelley Samm, RN, manager, Labor & Delivery at Renown Children’s Hospital

Preterm labor occurs when a woman starts to have her baby before reaching her 37th week of pregnancy. This can cause the baby to be born too soon and can lead to health problems for the baby.

Any woman can have preterm labor; however, there are some risk factors that could increase the chances:

• Past preterm labor or past early birth
• Smoking and drug or alcohol use during pregnancy
• Multiple fetuses (twins or more)
• Problems with the shape of the uterus
• Bleeding during pregnancy

The most important thing to know about preterm labor is that it should be taken seriously. Don’t ignore the …

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