Premature labour

Every pregnant woman worries about the health of their baby and wants their labour and birth to go smoothly. But what if your baby has other ideas and wants to be born early?

What is premature labour?

Premature labour is when you go into labour before you are 37 weeks pregnant. About 7% of babies are born prematurely in the UK annually, according to baby charity Tommy's - that's about 45,000 a year.

Here's what to look out for, how you can reduce your risk and what it means if it happens to you.

Could premature labour happen to me?

It can happen to any pregnant woman for various reasons, but there are those who are more at risk than others. They are:
- Smokers
- Underweight women
- Young mothers

What are the causes of premature labour?

- Pre-eclampsia
- Foetal abnormalities
- Cervical incompetence
- Multiple pregnancy
- Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure etc in the mother
- Antenatal haemorrhage
- Stress
- Vaginal and urinary tract infections
- Using recreational drugs
- Previous premature birth
- Previous miscarriages

By Anna Penniceard