What is Premature Labor?

Labor is the process when the body starts to prepare for childbirth. Normally pregnancies last for about 40 weeks and the process of labor starts by the 37th week. However if labor starts before the 37th week then the condition is abnormal and is called as premature labor. When this happens uterine contractions cause the cervix to open earlier than normal and can result in the birth of a premature baby which can put the baby, and possibly the mother, at health risks. According to research, 12 % of all pregnancies experience premature labor.

Risk Factors

Certain factors increase the risk for a woman to experience premature labor. However having a particular risk factor does not mean that a woman will surely develop premature labor and a woman may experience this condition for no apparent reason. Women are at the greatest risk if they are pregnant with multiples, if they have had previous premature births or if they have certain uterine or cervical abnormalities. The medical risk factors include recurring bladder and / or kidney infections; urinary tract infections, vaginal infections and sexually transmitted infections; infection with fever, greater than 101 F, during pregnancy; unexplained vaginal bleeding after 20 weeks of pregnancy; chronic illness such as high blood pressure, kidney disease or diabetes; being underweight or overweight before pregnancy; clotting disorder and less than 6 - 9 months between successive pregnancies. The lifestyle factors that increase the risk of premature labor include little or no prenatal care; smoking; drinking alcohol; using illegal drugs; domestic violence including physical, sexual or emotional abuse; lack of social support; high levels of stress; low income and long working hours with long periods of standing.

Symptoms and Preventive Measures

It is possible to prevent pre mature birth if the symptoms of premature labor are correctly read and preventive measures are initiated. Five or more than five uterine contractions in an hour, leakage of watery fluid from the vagina, menstrual like cramps felt in the lower abdomen that are constant or come and go, low dull backache that is constant or comes and goes, pelvic pressure that feels like the baby is pushing down, abdominal cramps that occur with or without diarrhea and change in vaginal discharge are the symptoms of pre mature labor. If there is a suspected case of premature labor then the following steps should be immediately taken: emptying the bladder, lying down on the left side which can stop or slow down the signs and symptoms, drinking several glasses of water, monitoring the contractions by calculating their frequency and avoiding lying flat on the back which speeds up the process. If the symptoms get worse the doctor should be immediately called.