Premature labour and birth
If your baby is born before the end of week 37, he’s considered to be premature.
Some premature babies need no assistance after being born, but others need help to breathe. Babies’ lungs are one of the last organs to fully develop in the womb because they don’t need to use them until they’re born and start breathing air. This is why preemies sometimes have breathing problems and have to be transferred to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Pre-term labor can occur if:
- You develop pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, or have kidney disease.
- Your placenta is not working properly and the baby stops growing.
- There has been a complicated delivery – for example, cord prolapse (where the cord slips down into the birth canal ahead of the baby, potentially cutting off his oxygen supply); placental abruption (where the placenta detaches from the uterus ahead of labor); or prepartum hemorrhage.
Who is at risk?
Premature labor can happen to any woman, even if she’s had a normal pregnancy, but there are women who may be at more risk of having a premature baby:
- You’re more likely to have a pre-term birth if you had one previously with another baby.
- If you’re carrying twins or multiples you’ll probably go into pre-term labor because there’s no room left to reach full-term.
- Younger (under 17) and older (over 35) moms-to-be are more likely to go into labor early.
Can pre-term labor be stopped?
If your medical team think it’s safer to stop you going into pre-term labor and better to let your baby grow for as long as he can, they may give you medication to stop your contractions. Preemies born between 34 and 37 weeks have a very good chance of doing well, so if your labor starts before 34 weeks expect to be given medication. You’ll have to stay in hospital to be monitored and will need lots of rest.
How do I know if I’m in pre-term labor?
Symptoms of pre-term labor will be similar to going into full-term labor, so you may experience any one, or all of these:
- Vaginal bleeding or spotting
- An increase in vaginal discharge
- Discharge that looks watery, bloody or mucus-like (this could be a 'show')?.
- Menstrual-like cramping, lower abdominal pain and more than four contractions in one hour.
- Pressure in your pelvic area.
- Lower back pain.
Contact your OB-GYN or nurse-midwife immediately if any of these symptoms occur.
Premature babies can often be born vaginally but depending on the circumstances you may need medical assistance.
Sometimes it’s safer for babies to be born by cesarean section if they’re very premature, to avoid any of the complications that can happen with a vaginal birth.
What can I do to help my premature baby?
Premature babies need lots of love and support, and it is very important for you and your partner to be close to and touch your baby.
You’ll be encouraged to hold him skin-to-skin and help care for him to establish your bond. If he’s unable to breastfeed, you can express breast milk to be fed to him via a tube. See our article neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for more information on your preemie’s care.
The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.