Title: Preterm labor and premature birth: Are you at risk?
Headings: Preterm labor and premature birth: Are you at risk?
Preterm labor and premature birth: Are you at risk?
KEY POINTS
signs and symptoms of
preterm labor
What are preterm labor and premature birth?
What are the signs and symptoms of preterm labor?
Are you at risk for preterm labor and premature birth?
These three risk factors make you most likely to have preterm labor and give birth early:
Medical risk factors before pregnancy for preterm labor and premature birth
Medical risk factors during pregnancy for preterm labor and premature birth
Risk factors in your everyday life for preterm labor and premature birth
Age and race as risk factors for preterm labor and premature birth
Can you reduce your risk for preterm labor and premature birth?
Last reviewed: March, 2018

Content: These are called risk factors. Having a risk factor doesn’t mean for sure that you’ll have preterm labor or give birth early. But it may increase your chances. Talk to your health care provider about what you can do to help reduce your risk. Because many premature babies are born with low birthweight, many risk factors for preterm labor and premature birth are the same as for having a low-birthweight baby. Low birthweight is when a baby is born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces. These three risk factors make you most likely to have preterm labor and give birth early: You’ve had a premature baby in the past. You’re pregnant with multiples (twins, triplets or more). You have problems with your uterus or cervix now or you’ve had them in the past.