Signs You May Be Going Into Preterm Labour

For most women, the gestation period typically last for 40 weeks. In fact, babies born between 37 to 40 weeks are considered full term. However, there is a faint possibility that you may go into labour before 37 weeks. This is referred to as preterm labour in the medical field and it means your body is getting ready to deliver your baby earlier than it should. While pregnant, it is important that you recognize and understand the signs of preterm labour, so that you may be able to effectively assess yourself in the final stages of your pregnancy and seek medical help if necessary.

Premature labour, which is characterised by signs your body's getting ready for labour, most often results in an early birth. However, in most cases there is no reason to worry, and in some cases medical practitioners are even able to delay the labour and ensure you give birth when you are supposed to. In this article, we will delve into what preterm labour is, and the signs of premature labour.  

What Is Preterm Labour?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), babies can be called preterm if they are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed. Premature labour occurs when your body gets ready for birth between 20 to 37 weeks of gestation and you begin to experience regular contractions in your cervix. In 2020, approximately 13.4 million preterm births were recorded around the world, as per a report by WHO. Preterm labour can also be classified into three categories, based on when the baby was born:

1.      Extremely preterm – This is for babies born in less than 28 weeks

2.      Very preterm – This is for babies born between 28-32 weeks

3.      Moderately preterm – This is for babies born between 32 to 37 weeks.  

It is, however, vital to understand that you may experience various forms of contractions throughout your pregnancy. This can make it difficult to distinguish the signs of preterm labour, which can result in either you worrying every time you experience pain in your abdomen or delayed medical help. Whenever you are in doubt, it is advisable to reach out to your doctor and get yourself checked out.

Signs You Are Going Into Preterm Labour

Awareness is of utmost importance. If you are alert and aware of the preterm labour signs and symptoms, it will be easier for you to decipher if you’re going into labour and if you should seek medical help. There is a very good chance that you may never need this, but it helps to learn about the warning signs. Here are some common preterm labour symptoms that you should know about:

Frequent Contractions 

This is one of the most important signs of preterm labour. If you are indeed going into labour, you will be experiencing contractions that are quite regular, around 10 minutes apart, and they will get more painful as time passes. These pains will not subside even if you walk around or change your lying position. You should be able to distinguish preterm labour symptoms from Braxton Hicks contractions, which begin to occur in the final stages of your pregnancy. These are not regular and not as intense, and usually subside with time.

Pain in Your Back

A dull pain in your lower back region is one of the signs your body is getting ready for labour. The pain is likely going to be coming and going and may not be very regular. But this is not backache that you commonly experience in your third trimester as it is not going to go away even if you switch to a more comfortable position.

Cramps

As you experience preterm labour symptoms, you may also feel some cramps in your lower abdomen or your lower back. These could feel like period cramps.

Discharge from the Vagina

You need to keep an eye out for light bleeding or vaginal spotting. This happens when the mucus like membrane that has been sealing your cervix during your pregnancy sheds, and results in streaks of brownish or pinkish blood.

Fluids Leaking from Your Vagina

This could be a sign that your water has broken. If you feel a kind of watery discharge from your vagina, you can use your sense of smell to identify if the fluid is urine or your amniotic fluid.

Pressure in Your Pelvic Region

Feeling pressure in your vagina or pelvic area is one of the signs of premature labour. This could also be a sign that your baby is coming early, and is pushing down on your cervix.

While these are some of the common preterm labour signs and symptoms, there are some warning signs you need to look out for and seek medical help immediately:

• Heavy bleeding or cramping

• Reduced baby movements

What Are Some Of The Causes Of Preterm Labour?

While doctors cannot state for certain why one could experience preterm labour, there are some triggers and risk factors that could play a role. Some general risk factors are:

1.      History of premature births

2.      Being underweight or overweight

3.      Age

4.      Genetic history of preterm births

5.      Not gaining sufficient amount of weight during pregnancy

6.      Missing screenings and prenatal scans that can highlight warning signs

7.      Exposure to harmful chemicals

Other Causes Of Preterm Labour Are:

Stress

There’s a reason why doctors recommend taking it slow and avoiding stress during your pregnancy. Excessive levels of stress, especially when it is triggered by some traumatic events during your pregnancy, could result in hormonal changes which could in turn trigger preterm labour.

Smoking or Drinking 

Smoking or drinking during pregnancy could expose you and your baby to harmful toxins that could hamper your unborn baby’s oxygen supply in the womb. This increases chances of miscarriage and preterm birth and may even result in your baby having lesser than ideal body weight at birth.

Complications in the Pregnancy

Problems or ailments during pregnancy, like placenta previa or gestational diabetes, thyroid, anemia, problems with your liver, preeclampsia and other such issues may result in early labour.

STDs or Vaginal Infections

Infections in your uterus, uterine tract or vagina are usually considered to be one of the most common causes for preterm labour. Any of these infections, if left untreated, could result in inflammation in the body. That in turn triggers the release of prostaglandins, which is what induces your labour when you reach full-term.

Gum Infections

New research has found that hormonal changes in your body during pregnancy could put you at risk of gum infections. Now, according to research, bacteria that cause these infections could result in inflammation in your cervix and uterus and in turn trigger labour.

Less Gap Between Pregnancies

Getting pregnant too soon after your previous birth could result in preterm labour as your body may not be entirely ready for birth yet.

Can you do anything to prevent preterm labour?

With medical intervention, it has become possible to successfully and effectively treat babies who are born premature. And most of the times, it may be difficult to avoid many of the factors which can lead to preterm birth. But there are some things you can do to reduce the chances. Here’s what you can do:

1.      Educate yourself about the signs of preterm labour and understand if you are at increased risk for the same. Speak to the doctor about it and find out about the signs of danger.

2.      Ensure that your weight remains healthy and consistent throughout the gestation period.

3.      Make sure you attend all your prenatal scans, doctor’s appointments and screenings, even though it appears to be a perfectly normal and healthy pregnancy.

4.      It is important to keep a sufficient gap between your pregnancies. It is better to leave a gap of 18 months between your pregnancies to reduce the chances of premature birth.

5.      Try to steer clear of things that may cause infections, which includes raw foods or contact with animal faeces, rodents and other such organisms.

6.      Take all your prenatal vitamins on time and regularly. These vitamins will boost your overall health and also ensure that your baby grows healthily.

7.      Maintain a nutritious and healthy diet during your pregnancy and ensure you’re getting adequate quantities of the necessary nutrients.

8.      If you drink or smoke, quit while you’re pregnant. As a matter of fact, it is important to curb exposure to secondhand smoke as well.

9.      There are no screenings which can determine if you are going to have a preterm birth. But, if you are proven to be at high risk for preterm labour, then your doctor can measure the length of your cervix once you cross 16 weeks. Keeping a tab on the cervix can ascertain if you’re at increased risk.

Things to expect when you face preterm labour

If you think you’re experiencing signs of premature labour, you need to reach out to your doctor as soon as possible. Your medical team will run a series of tests to determine if you are actually in labour and if you or your baby are showing signs of distress. This is done through a fetal monitor. Doctors will also check your cervix to see if it has dilated or if there are signs of infection. If the test results show that you are not in labour, you will be sent home and asked to stay vigilant.

If you are indeed in labour, your doctors will try to hold off the delivery for as long as possible; this is because it bodes well for the baby to stay in the baby for as long as possible. This can be done through a variety of methods which include corticosteroids or even antibiotics in case of infections. However, if you or the baby show signs of distress, doctors will not hesitate to deliver your baby, even if it is premature. Babies born premature usually require a short hospital stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or NICU, where they are kept under observation till they are ready to go home. 

Even though most women are able to carry their baby to term, some women may begin to experience preterm labour signs and symptoms. It is recommended that you stay alert, especially as you head towards the final months of your pregnancy and keep an eye out for any irregularities – like abdominal pain or cramps that won’t go away, light bleeding or spotting, contractions that won’t subside and increased vaginal discharge.

There are usually no ways to predict for certain if there are increased risks of preterm labour. But staying up to date with your prenatal check-ups, taking your medication regularly, eating well and maintaining a healthy lifestyle could potentially reduce the chances. Even if you do begin to show signs of premature labour, there is no reason to panic; with medical advancement, it has become possible to delay the birth and treat premature babies to ensure they grow up to lead healthy lives.

FAQs

1. How is preterm labour diagnosed?

If you begin to show preterm labour signs and symptoms, there are various ways to diagnose it. These include monitoring contractions, checking the fetal heartbeat, examining your cervix and ultrasounds.

2. What happens if preterm labour cannot be stopped?

If doctors are not able to hold off your labour, then your baby will have to be delivered. There are medications available which can prepare the baby for a premature birth.

3. Do premature babies face health problems?

Premature babies, especially those born very preterm, often face a variety of health issues like respiratory problems, slower brain development and a weaker immune system. In most cases, the problems go away as the baby grows up.

4. How to check for contractions if you’re in preterm labour?

You need to monitor your contractions and record the duration in between them. You can place your fingers on your abdomen and if you can feel a tightening sensation in your uterus followed by a softening, this may be a contraction.

Sources

1.      Preterm Birth – World Health Organization (Preterm birth (who.int))

2.      Preterm Labour and Birth: A Clinical Review (Preterm labour and Birth: A Clinical Review - PubMed (nih.gov))

3.      Preterm labour: One Syndrome, Many Causes (Preterm labour: One Syndrome, Many Causes - PMC (nih.gov))

4.      Herbst, A., & Nilsson, C. (2006). Diagnosis of early preterm labour. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 113, 60-67.

5.      Georgiou, H. M., Di Quinzio, M. K., Permezel, M., & Brennecke, S. P. (2015). Predicting preterm labour: current status and future prospects. Disease markers, 2015(1), 435014.