Preterm labor and birth
| Preterm labor and birth |
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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.
Who is at risk for preterm labor and birth?
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
- Shortened cervix
- Previously given birth preterm
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