Preterm labor is when you are in labor before you reach 37 weeks of pregnancy. Preterm babies may suffer developmental problems, depending on how many weeks old the baby is. The sooner you go into labor, the higher the chances there are for problems to arise. It’s important to identify the symptoms of preterm labor because sometimes, taking certain steps may stop it.

Risk factors

There are women who are more likely to go into preterm and one of those groups is women with diabetes. Latinas are at a greater risk of diabetes than other women and often develop diabetes during pregnancy. For this reason, if you suffer from diabetes, or suspect you might have it, you should watch out for symptoms of preterm labor.

Other risk factors for preterm labor include:

• Expecting multiples.

• Smoke, abuse alcohol, or drug use

• Being overweight or underweight

• Having had a prior preterm delivery or abortion

• Having had problems with your uterus or cervix

• Possible urinary tract infections or infections in the amniotic fluid during pregnancy.

Symptoms you should pay attention to

If you have any of the risk factors mentioned above, pay attention to the following symptoms. Don’t think “it shall pass”: go to the hospital or see your doctor. It’s better to be safe than sorry, than go into labor at the wrong time.

• Diffused lower back pain. This pain can be felt as a general discomfort and not defined or located around the lower back or lower abdomen.

• Pelvic pressure or pain. Although during pregnancy you may feel discomfort in that area, or pain because of the stretching of the round ligaments in your abdomen, if you notice any changes in that area, you must check with your doctor.

• Diarrhea. Some times diarrhea is a warning sign that you are getting close to labor.

• Watery or bloody vaginal discharge. Any discharge which contains blood, or is dark brown, may indicate a problem. If you feel that your underwear is wet or see an abnormal vaginal discharge, this could be amniotic liquid and you must contact your doctor.

• More than six contractions per hour. Braxton Hicks contractions are common in the lasts months of pregnancy. These are painless contractions in which the uterus is getting ready for labor. Labor contractions are similar to menstrual cramps. In any case, you must call your doctor or go to the hospital.

Treatment for preterm labor

The treatment administered in the hospital or by your doctor will depend upon what stage of pregnancy you are in. Solutions usually involve:

• Rest. Sometimes bed rest is enough to stop the contractions.

• Surgical closing of the cervix. If your cervix can’t bear the baby’s weight, you might get stitches to help strengthen it and prevent it from opening.

• Medication. There are certain medications that can stop the contractions once they have started. If labor is imminent, they might give you a shot of steroids to help your baby’s lungs develop faster.

How to prevent preterm labor

Regular prenatal care is one of the best ways to prevent problems and complications during pregnancy, especially if you suffer from a disease like diabetes.
Other measures that may help avoid preterm labor is following a healthy diet, dental care (studies show that gum disease is associated to preterm labor), avoid substances that are not recommended during pregnancy and avoiding stress.

Don’t blame yourself

If you have preterm labor, you mustn’t blame yourself. There are situations out of your control and preterm labor in most cases is one of them. There are surveys that show that 65 percent of mothers and 59 percent of fathers (source: http://www.cfah.org/hbns/news/preemies01-30-03.cfm) think that the baby was born prematurely because they didn’t take care of themselves properly during pregnancy.