Pregnancy - Preterm Labor

Is this your symptom?

• Having contractions or other symptoms of preterm labor
• 20-36 weeks pregnant

Key Points

• Preterm labor can lead to the birth of a premature baby (preemie).
• A premature baby has a higher risk of cerebral palsy, development problems, and lung problems.
• Contractions before the 37th week of pregnancy are one possible sign of preterm labor.

Symptoms that Strongly Suggest Preterm Labor

Labor symptoms in the preterm period (before 37 weeks) are often milder. Sometimes a pregnant woman may not notice or realize she is having preterm labor symptoms.

Each of these is concerning and can be a sign of preterm labor:

• Bloody show
• Contractions get more frequent (less than 10 minutes apart for 1 hour)
• Contractions do NOT get better after drinking some water and walking around
• Leaking fluid from the vagina (broken bag of water)

Symptoms that Might Suggest Preterm Labor

• Diarrhea
• Lightening (dropping)
• Lower back pain
• Pressure in pelvis
• Sense of "something is just not right"
• Tightening or cramping in lower stomach (belly) or pelvis (soft contractions)

What are the Symptoms of False Labor (Braxton-Hicks Contractions)?

• Contractions are NOT regular.
• Contractions do NOT increase over time in frequency or strength.
• Contractions decrease with activity, for example, walking.
• The pain from contractions tends to be felt in the upper stomach rather than in the back or lower stomach (belly).

What is a Lightening?

Near the end of pregnancy the baby drops or settles into the mother's pelvis. This is called dropping, lightening, or engagement. When this happens, the mother may notice her stomach looks different. She may find it easier to breathe. She might say that she is "carrying the baby lower." However, the baby puts more pressure on the bladder. This makes the mother feel like she has to urinate more often.

• Why does this happen? The baby is moving down into the pelvis to get ready for labor.
• What does this mean? Dropping usually occurs about 2 to 4 weeks before labor. However, it is not a good way to predict when labor will happen.

What is a Mucus Plug?

Many women will pass a small glob or chunk of jelly-like mucus at the end of the pregnancy. It may look like gelatin or snot. There may also be a small amount of pinkish, brownish, or blood-tinged mucus. This is called the "mucus plug."

• Why does this happen? In late pregnancy the cervix (opening to the womb) starts to thin and stretch out. The mucus that seals the cervix falls out.
• What does this mean? It may be a sign that a mother is getting closer to her delivery time. However, often it occurs a week or two before labor.

What is Bloody Show?

Most women have a small amount of pinkish, brownish, or blood-tinged mucus at the end of the pregnancy. This is called the "bloody show."

• Why does this happen? In late pregnancy the cervix (opening to the womb) starts to thin and stretch out. This causes some of the tiny blood vessels in the cervix to bleed.
• What does this mean? Bloody show is a sign that you're getting closer to delivery time. This often happens about 2 to 3 days before going into labor. Sometimes labor can start several hours later!