Preterm Labor

September 07, 2008

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Preterm Labor

by Elisa Ross, MD
reviewed and revised by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D.

Preterm labor, also known as "premature labor," is the onset of true labor before the 37th week of gestation (3 weeks before the due date). In true labor, regular contractions are accompanied by cervical dilation (opening) or effacement (thinning). If there is cervical change without any contractions, or if there are contractions without any cervical change, the condition is not considered true preterm labor.

What are the risks to the baby?

If preterm labor starts, but then is stopped and the baby is delivered at term, the baby is at no increased risk for complications. If the preterm labor results in delivery, however, the complications expected depend on the baby's age, weight, and general condition.

Who is at risk for preterm labor?

The majority of women who deliver early have no particular risk factors.

We see proportionally more preterm deliveries in women who have an unusually shaped uterus, are carrying more than one baby, have previously delivered early, are smokers, use cocaine or heroin, have cervical infections during pregnancy (not yeast), or have unexplained bleeding in the second trimester (not the first). Other factors may be maternal age of less than 18 or more than 40, low pre-pregnancy weight, or low socioeconomic status.

Even in women who have one of these risk factors, delivery is still more likely to occur at term than early.

Causes of preterm labor

It is frustrating that there are few known actual causes of preterm labor. The above-mentioned risk factors are only associated findings, not actual causes.

Things that do not cause preterm labor

Intercourse does not cause preterm labor in women who are not susceptible for other reasons.

While many parents who deliver early feel that emotional stress was the trigger for preterm labor, scientific studies have failed to reveal a reliable connection between psychological stress and preterm labor.

Having had one elective first trimester abortion in a previous pregnancy has not been shown to increase the risk of preterm labor in subsequent pregnancies.

Preventing preterm labor

Bed rest and refraining from intercourse, although widely recommended, have been studied and shown to have no effect of the likelihood of preterm delivery. Recent research has shown that an injected form of the hormone progesterone may be useful in preventing premature birth. Further studies are ongoing.


RELATED INFORMATION

			The Developing Fetus, Weeks 25-40
			True vs. False Labor
			Preterm Labor
			Events of Labor

Created September 09, 2000
Reviewed and revised September 09, 2004

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