Premature Labor: What Are the Signs?

Each year many babies are born prematurely or before the 37th week of pregnancy. While some women may know ahead of time they are at risk for premature labor there are many pregnant women who are not quite sure what the signs are and what they should look for if they suspect premature labor. Here is a look at some warning signs of premature labor and how to recognize them if you suspect you might be at risk for delivering early.

The first and most common sign of premature labor is contractions. While it is normal for pregnant women to experience contractions throughout their entire pregnancy, if you start to experience them every ten minutes or five in a total hour you should contact your doctor. To determine if you are experiencing a uterine contraction try laying down and placing your hand on your abdomen. If you feel it tighten up and then soften chances are, you are having a contraction. Generally your whole abdomen will harden up while having a contraction. These contractions can be painful or just slightly uncomfortable. No matter what pain level you are at, if you find yourself having them regularly you should immediately contact your doctor.

Another common sign of premature labor is pains that feel like period pains. Many women who have experienced premature labor say they feel very crampy and achy like they are expecting or having a period. Others complain of a dull, low backache similar to that one might experience during their period or pressure on their pelvis. It is recommended to first take a Tylenol and drink a glass of water to see if they disappear. If you find they do not go away, you should then contact your doctor so they can determine if it is in fact premature labor or not.

Strange or unusual discharge can also be a sign of premature labor. If you notice you are experiencing a heavy or watery type of discharge it is a good idea to contact your health care provider. If you notice an extremely watery discharge it could be a sign your bag of fluids is leaking which would require you contacting your doctor immediately. Other types of discharge can indicate you are losing your mucus plug.

Lastly if you experience any type of bleeding you should contact health care provider immediately. Many women notice a bloody show shortly before labor is about to begin or when they lose their mucus plug. Your doctor or health care provider can give you specific instructions in this case and will likely have you go tot the hospital or their office.

If you are concerned with premature labor there is a special test called the fetal fibronectin test that your doctor may perform to determine if you are in fact at risk. Generally a negative result means you are not likely to go into labor in the next two weeks while a positive sign indicates you have a higher chance of going into premature labor. If it is positive and you are showing signs of going into premature labor your doctor may want you to have a special ultrasound to determine if your cervix is showing signs of thinning out.