PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS

Preterm Labor
Preterm labor is labor that occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy.
About 12% of births in the U.S. are preterm. Babies who are born preterm are at a higher risk of requiring hospitalization, having long-term problems
or even death. A normal pregnancy should last about 40 weeks which
gives the baby the best chance to be healthy. The earlier the birth, the greater the risk for the baby.
Some risks and factors that increase the likelihood of preterm labor (shown in the image to the right) are: infections in the amniotic fluid, too much fluid, multiple babies, placental abruption, and uterine and/or cervical abnormalities to name just a few.

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