While not all cases of preterm labor can be prevented there are a lot of women who will have contractions that can be prevented by simple measures. Certain factors may increase a woman’s risk of having premature labor, although the specific causes of premature labor are not known. However, having a specific risk factor does not mean a woman is predetermined to have premature labor. A woman may have premature labor for no apparent reason. If you have any of these risk factors, it’s important to know the symptoms of premature labor and what you should do if they occur.
About a quarter of preterm births are planned. If you or your baby have a complication and are not doing well, your medical team might decide to induce labor early or perform a cesarean section before 37 weeks.