Preterm labor

• Preterm labor and birth can happen to any pregnant woman.
• Women can take steps to reduce the risk of preterm labor.
• Learn the signs of preterm labor and what to do about them.

share |e-mail |print

How do I know I’m in labor?

You'll know you're in labor if:

• You have strong and regular contractions that last 30 to 60 seconds and come 5 to 10 minutes apart.
• Your water breaks. Your baby has been growing in amniotic fluid (bag of waters) in your uterus. When the bag of waters breaks you may feel a big rush of waters or you may feel just a trickle.
• You bleed a little from your vagina. This is called bloody show.

If you think you're in labor, call your health care provider, no matter what time of day or night.