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Preterm Labor

Q:

Are there treatments that might be used if I go into preterm labor?

Correct

Preterm labor is labor that happens too early – before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Here are some of the treatments that may be used to help with preterm labor: 

  • Progesterone. This is a hormone that’s normally present in the body. Treatment with progesterone during pregnancy may help reduce the risk of giving birth early. 
  • Cerclage. This is a stitch that your provider puts in your cervix. The stitch may help keep your cervix closed so that your baby isn’t born too early. Your provider removes the stitch at about 37 weeks of pregnancy. A cerclage is only used in certain situations. For example, if you have a condition called cervical insufficiency, you may need a cerclage. 
  • Corticosteroids. These medicines speed up your baby’s lung development. They also greatly reduce the risk of health problems in your baby. 
  • Tocolytics. These medicines may postpone labor, often for just a few days. This delay may give you time to get treatment with corticosteroids and make plans to have your baby in a hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This is the part of a hospital that takes care of sick or pre-term newborns. 
  • Magnesium sulfate.  Magnesium sulfate (or Mag Sulfate) is one of the most common medicines used for pre-term labor. It is quite effective in slowing down contractions, although this effect and how long it lasts varies from woman to woman. Like all preterm medications, however, magnesium sulfate does not consistently prevent or delay preterm delivery for a significant period of time. Preventing delivery by even a couple of days can make a big difference for the baby if the mother is given steroids along with magnesium sulfate.  

Incorrect

Preterm labor is labor that happens too early – before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Here are some of the treatments that may be used to help with preterm labor: 

  • Progesterone. This is a hormone that’s normally present in the body. Treatment with progesterone during pregnancy may help reduce the risk of giving birth early. 
  • Cerclage. This is a stitch that your provider puts in your cervix. The stitch may help keep your cervix closed so that your baby isn’t born too early. Your provider removes the stitch at about 37 weeks of pregnancy. A cerclage is only used in certain situations. For example, if you have a condition called cervical insufficiency, you may need a cerclage. 
  • Corticosteroids. These medicines speed up your baby’s lung development. They also greatly reduce the risk of health problems in your baby. 
  • Tocolytics. These medicines may postpone labor, often for just a few days. This delay may give you time to get treatment with corticosteroids and make plans to have your baby in a hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This is the part of a hospital that takes care of sick or pre-term newborns. 
  • Magnesium sulfate.  Magnesium sulfate (or Mag Sulfate) is one of the most common medicines used for pre-term labor. It is quite effective in slowing down contractions, although this effect and how long it lasts varies from woman to woman. Like all preterm medications, however, magnesium sulfate does not consistently prevent or delay preterm delivery for a significant period of time. Preventing delivery by even a couple of days can make a big difference for the baby if the mother is given steroids along with magnesium sulfate.  

Prevention

We do know some things that make a woman more likely than others to have preterm labor and birth. Possible risk factors for preterm labor and giving birth early are: 

  • Having had a premature baby in the past. 
  • Being pregnant with multiples (twins, triplets, or more). 
  • Having current or past problems with your uterus or cervix. 
  • Advanced maternal age (over age 35). 
  • Usage of cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs during pregnancy 
  • Maternal health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity. 

Signs of preterm labor 

Signs of preterm labor are often the same as regular labor, only they happen too early. Call your provider if you have even one of these signs before 37 weeks: 

  • Contractions that make your belly tighten up like a fist every 10 minutes or more often. Contractions are when the muscles of your uterus get tight and then relax. They help push your baby out of your uterus. 
  • Change in the color of your vaginal discharge, a lot of watery discharge, or bleeding from your vagina. 
  • The feeling that your baby is pushing down. This is called pelvic pressure. 
  • Low, dull backache. 
  • Cramps that feel like your period. 
  • Belly cramps with or without diarrhea. 
  • If the signs get worse or don’t go away, call your provider again or go right to the hospital.   

 

Getting help quickly is the best thing you can do for your health and the health of your baby.