Preterm labor (also called premature labor) is labor that begins before 37 weeks of pregnancy.  Because the fetus is not fully grown at this time, it may not be able to survive outside the womb.  Health care providers will often take steps to try to stop labor if it occurs before this time. A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered a preterm birth (or premature birth).  Preterm births occur in about 12 percent of all pregnancies in the U.S.  It is one of the top causes of infant death in this country.

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Health Topics
Premature labor

2. 1
Overview
Preterm labor (also called premature labor) is
labor that begins before 37 weeks of
pregnancy. Because the fetus is not fully grown at
this time, it may not be able to survive outside the
womb. Health care providers will often take steps
to try to stop labor if it occurs before this time.

3. 2
Overview
A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy is
considered a preterm birth (or premature
birth). Preterm births occur in about 12 percent of
all pregnancies in the U.S. It is one of the top
causes of infant death in this country.

4. 3
Risks
Health care providers currently have no way of
knowing which women will experience preterm
labor or deliver their babies preterm. But there
are factors that place a woman at higher risk for
preterm labor or birth:
-- Certain infections, such as bacterial vaginosis
and trichomoniasis

5. 4
Risks
-- Shortened cervix
-- Previously given birth preterm
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/preterm_l
abor_and_birth.cfm

6. 5
Living and Coping
Premature infants may face a number of health
challenges, including:
-- Low birth weight
-- Breathing problems because of underdeveloped
lungs
-- Underdeveloped organs or organ systems

7. 6
Living and Coping
-- Greater risk for life-threatening infections
-- Greater risk for a serious lung condition, known
as respiratory distress syndrome
-- Greater risk for cerebral palsy (CP)
-- Greater risk for learning and developmental
disabilities

8. 7
Living and Coping
They may need to stay in the hospital for several
weeks or more, often in a neonatal intensive care
unit (NICU).
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/preterm_l
abor_and_birth.cfm