<prompt> If you are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patients description.Hi. I think I might be in labor. I m 38 weeks and 5 days. I m having horrible back pain and cramps similar to menstral cramps. I m been timing my contractions for about an hour, and they are about 6 to 8 minutes apart. The contractions themselves are not painful, but I m in pain in other areas like I said the cramps and back pain. The pain is pretty continuous. Am I in labor?  <response>: Hi, Thanks for the query. Labor pain is uterine contraction with severe pain, that tightens your abdomen the pressure is going downwards. It comes intermittentlyThe gap between two pains being surprisingly painless, the gap between two pains go on decreasing the pain time goes on increasing. You have constant pain in back due to loose pelvic ligaments being stretched by downward movement of fetusalong with mild cramps uterine tightening. To push the baby down in pelvis... as a preparation of childbirth. You will have true labor pains within a week or two. Thanks. 