Preterm Labor
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
Preterm labor is labor that starts before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. It can lead to premature birth. Premature babies may face serious health risks.
Symptoms of preterm labor include:
- Contractions every 10 minutes or more often
- Leaking fluid or bleeding from the vagina
- Feeling of pressure in the pelvis
- Low, dull backache
- Cramps that feel like menstrual cramps
- Abdominal cramps with or without diarrhea
If you think you might be having preterm labor, contact your health care provider.
NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Questions for your care team
General prompts to help prepare for your appointment.
- How does this information apply to my situation?
- Which symptoms or results need evaluation?
- Which tests are useful, and what can they tell us?
- What care options, benefits, and risks should we discuss?
- When should I seek urgent help, and whom should I call?
- When is follow-up, and how will we know whether the plan is working?
For a life-threatening emergency, call 911 in the U.S. or your local emergency number.
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