Causes of Preterm Laborby Pattie Hughes | More from this Blogger 13 Apr 2006 07:17 PM Preterm labor is defined as labor occurring before 37 weeks gestation. About 12% of labor is premature. The danger to the baby depends on how far along in the pregnancy labor begins. In most cases, after 34 weeks the baby is fine. The earlier labor begins the more risk to the baby. Risk Factors for Preterm Labor: * Previous preterm birth raises your risk of future preterm labor. The earlier in the pregnancy labor began, the more risk in a future pregnancy. * Multiple pregnancies often result in preterm birth. The more babies, the higher the risk. * Low weight gain during pregnancy * Vaginal bleeding * Extreme stress or trauma can raise your risk. Particularly if the mother is experiencing chronic severe stress. * Chronic maternal illness * Over the age of 35 * Teenage pregnancy * Addiction to drugs, alcohol or both There are several causes of premature labor. Some can be prevented and treated, while others can't. Problems with the placenta can cause premature labor, including placenta previa and placental abruption. Placenta previa occurs when the placenta is located in front of the opening to the cervix. Placental abruption occurs when the placenta begins to separate from the wall of the uterus. Some chronic maternal illnesses can result in preterm labor. If you have one of these, your doctor will monitor your health closely throughout the pregnancy. Some of these include: diabetes, sickle cell anemia, hepatitis, asthma and lupus. Infections can cause premature labor. Vaginal infection such as chlamydia, trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis are thought to be culprits. These bacteria can cause the membranes to rupture. A large uterus is another potential cause of preterm labor. This can result from excessive amniotic fluid. Multiple pregnancies are another cause of preterm labor. The more babies, the higher the chance of going into labor too early. Knowing the risk factors is an important step in preventing preterm labor. Your doctor can evaluate your risk factors, monitor your health and attempt to lower your chances of having the baby too soon. Learn more about Pattie Hughes  Pattie Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four young children. She and her husband have been married since 1992. Pattie holds a degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University. Relevantpregnancy tags User Comments serenm (49) 18 Apr 2008 04:41 AMThanx helen_babic (6) 08 Aug 2008 02:48 PM**  mom2zomohala (10) 01 Feb 2009 11:16 AMI am a mother of 3 preterm babies, due to my bicornuate uterus or "heart shaped uterus". It is a birth defect I was born with gborosoccer7 (80) 03 Feb 2009 10:46 AMIs there any signs that your birth will be premature in any of the earlier stages of pregnancy? Community Tags 32, health, labor, pregnancy, preterm labor Discuss this article
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