lohakick.blogg.se - Labor contractions timing

If it is early labor, the sooner you and your doctor treat it, the better chance there is for a good outcome for you and your baby. Everyone on your birth team will be happy to reassure you if this is the case. Don’t worry about a possible false alarm. If you are worried you may be in labor, contact your doctor immediately. Every woman experiences them differently. The warning signs of preterm labor are very similar to labor occurring at term. What are the signs and symptoms of preterm labor? In fact, good prenatal care and nutrition are two of the best ways to lower your risk for preterm labor. Regular prenatal care with your obstetrician will help identify most of these concerns.

Erythroblastosis fetalis, or Rh/blood group incompatibility.

Pregnant with twins, triplets, or more.

Indications of an unhealthy environment in the uterus, usually detected by fetal behavior.

Preterm labor risk factors involving the fetus:

Premature rupture of the amniotic sac membranes.

Placental abruption, in which the cervix detaches from the uterus too early in pregnancy.

Placenta previa, in which the placenta lies unusually low in the uterus, sometimes covering the opening to the cervix.

Abnormal placenta or decreasing placental function.

Premature labor risk factors involving the pregnancy:

Cervical incompetence, or a weak cervix that cannot stay closed as the baby grows larger.

Infections, especially strep, urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, and infections of the fetal or placental tissues.

Chronic medical problems, including diabetes and kidney disease.

Preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Besides the premature rupture of the amniotic sac, some of these major risk factors identified by the Mayo Clinic include the following: Maternal factors for preterm labor:

Some risk factors have been identified that make a woman more likely to go into labor early. In most cases, no specific cause is known for early labor. The rate peaked in 2006 when the rate was nearly 13%, more than one-third higher than the rate had been in the early 1980s. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that preterm birth occurred in about one out of every 10 deliveries in the United States in 2014. Normal pregnancies last around 40 weeks, so any labor that starts before then is called early labor or preterm labor. The cervix begins to thin, a process called effacement, and it starts to dilate so that the baby can enter the birth canal. Along with contractions, changes in the cervix occur which signal labor is beginning. Preterm labor occurs when the contractions begin before the 37th week of pregnancy.