Premature labour
What are the risks to my baby of being born early?
Babies born before full term (before 37 weeks) are vulnerable to problems associated with being born premature. The earlier in the pregnancy a baby is born, the more vulnerable they are.
Babies are considered 'viable' at 24 weeks of pregnancy – this means it's possible for them to survive being born at this stage.
Babies born this early need special care in a hospital with specialist facilities for premature babies. This is called a neonatal unit. They may have health and development problems because they haven't fully developed in the womb.
If your baby is likely to be delivered early, you should be admitted to a hospital with a neonatal unit.
Not all hospitals have facilities for the care of very premature babies, so it may be necessary to transfer you and your baby to another unit, ideally before delivery (if time permits) or immediately afterwards.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 26 Feb 2018
Symptoms
The signs of premature labour can be similar to the signs of labour that starts at full term, and may include: contractions, period-type pains, breaking of the waters, etc.
If your waters haven't broken
Your midwife or doctor should discuss with you the symptoms of pre-term labour, and offer checks to see if you're in labour.
What are the risks to my baby of being born early?
Babies born before full term (before 37 weeks) are vulnerable to problems associated with being born premature. The earlier in the pregnancy a baby is born, the more vulnerable they are.
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