| March of Dimes Foundation. All rights reserved.">

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.

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.
© 2011 March of Dimes Foundation. The March of Dimes is a non-profit organization recognized as tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3).