# Preterm Labor and Birth ![](https://assets.bmc.org/transform/f78f35d7-35e6-4bc3-b22f-a1715018cb29/iStock-1183380706?io=transform:fill,width:1000px&format=webp) **Preterm labor** is when your body has signs of labor before 37 weeks of pregnancy. This can lead to a baby being born too early. We usually do not know why someone has preterm labor. **If labor starts early, you should come to the hospital**. We may recommend: - Medicines to try to stop it or slow it down - Medicines to help baby get ready in case they are born early ## What Are the Signs of Preterm Labor? Signs of preterm labor include: - Contractions (your stomach gets hard and you feel pain) that happen every 10 minutes or more, and that don’t go away - Stomach cramps, like when you get your period - Low, dull backache - Diarrhea - Bleeding from your vagina - Water from your vagina (water breaking) ### Learn More The nonprofit [March of Dimes](https://www.marchofdimes.org/ "March of Dimes: Help us improve the health of all moms and babies (marchofdimes.org)"), which focuses its work on prevention of birth defects, has many trustworthy resources on preterm birth and labor: [Watch Video: “Preterm Labor and Preterm Birth: Are You at Risk?”](https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/birth/preterm-labor-and-preterm-birth-are-you-risk "Preterm labor and preterm birth: Are you at risk? | March of Dimes (marchofdimes.org)") [Learn the Signs and Symptoms of Preterm Labor](https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/birth/signs-and-symptoms-preterm-labor "Signs and symptoms of preterm labor | March of Dimes (marchofdimes.org)") [View Infographic: Signs and Symptoms of Preterm Labor](https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/birth/signs-and-symptoms-preterm-labor-infographic "Signs and symptoms of preterm labor infographic | March of Dimes (marchofdimes.org)") [Download Handout (PDF, English + Español): Signs and Symptoms of Preterm Labor](https://www.marchofdimes.org/sites/default/files/2022-12/EHP21-Signs-of-Preterm-Labor-sheet-english.pdf "March of Dimes: Signs and Symptoms of Preterm Labor Handout in English and Español (PDF)") ## How Can I Lower My Chances of Preterm Labor? You can’t always prevent preterm labor, but there are things you can do to help keep you and your baby healthy: - [Eat healthy foods](/node/177502 "Bump & Beyond: Healthy Eating during Pregnancy | Boston Medical Center") and drink plenty of water, ideally at least eight cups (64 oz.) per day. - [Don’t smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs.](/bump-beyond/during-pregnancy/safe-choices/how-alcohol-smoking-and-drugs-can-affect-your-baby "Bump & Beyond: How Alcohol, Smoking, and Drugs Can Affect Your Baby | Boston Medical Center") - Think about getting your prenatal care with our [CenteringPregnancy](/node/177321 "Bump & Beyond: CenteringPregnancy: Supportive Prenatal Care | Boston Medical Center") program. - Go to all your [prenatal visits](/bump-beyond/during-pregnancy/medical-care/doctors-visits-and-expectations-during-pregnancy-dnu). - Take care to manage any health problems you had before pregnancy, like diabetes and high blood pressure. - Follow your provider’s instructions closely if you have new medical issues during your pregnancy, like [gestational diabetes](/node/177368 "Bump & Beyond: Gestational Diabetes: What to Do | Boston Medical Center") or [preeclampsia](/node/177329 "Bump & Beyond: High Blood Pressure and Preeclampsia | Boston Medical Center"). - Try to [lower your stress levels.](/node/177357 "Bump & Beyond: Mental Health during Pregnancy | Boston Medical Center") **Tell your provider if you have any pain or bleeding, or feel like something is not right.** ## What if I Had Another Baby Born Before 37 Weeks? If you have had a baby born preterm before, you have a higher chance of having another baby born before 37 weeks. **It’s important to tell your care team if this happened.** ### What Can I Do? If you had a baby born preterm before: - You may get more [ultrasounds](/bump-beyond/during-pregnancy/medical-care/ultrasounds "Bump & Beyond: Ultrasounds | Boston Medical Center") to check the length of your cervix. If it is short, we may give you medicine to help prevent preterm labor. - We may also suggest a stitch in the cervix (cerclage) to help keep the cervix closed. - You might see a special doctor, called a [maternal–fetal medicine](/departments/obstetrics-and-gynecology/obstetrics/maternal-fetal-medicine "Division of Maternal–Fetal Medicine | Boston Medical Center") specialist, to talk about your last birth and how to help prevent another preterm birth. ## What Might Happen at the Hospital if I Have Signs of Labor Before 37 Weeks? When you [come to the hospital](/bump-beyond/labor-and-birth/preparing-birth/labor-and-delivery-places "Bump & Beyond: Labor & Delivery Places: What to Know about Where You’ll Go | Boston Medical Center"), we will: - Check if your water has broken - Test your urine and test for vaginal infections - Do a vaginal test to see if labor might happen soon - Check the cervix to see if you are dilated - [Monitor your contractions and baby’s heartbeat](/bump-beyond/labor-and-birth/preparing-birth/fetal-monitoring "Bump & Beyond: Checking on Baby During Labor and Birth | Boston Medical Center") We might: - Give you medicine to help stop your contractions - Give you medicine to help your baby’s lungs grow if birth may happen early If preterm labor can not be stopped: - We will help you give birth to your baby. This may be a vaginal birth or a cesarean birth. ## Preterm Babies Preterm babies need extra care. They will usually spend time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Nurses will teach you how to do [skin-to-skin](/bump-beyond/labor-and-birth/hospital-baby/first-moments) for your preterm baby. Breastmilk is extra important for babies that are born early. [Learn How to Feed Your Preterm Baby](/bump-beyond/newborn-care/getting-know-your-baby/breastfeeding-premature-baby "Bump & Beyond: Breastfeeding Your Premature Baby | Boston Medical Center")