Getting treatment early is important. A pregnant woman who starts to have her baby too soon is in preterm labor. A full-term pregnancy is about 40 weeks. Babies born before 37 weeks are considered preterm and may have health problems because they were born early. The cause of preterm labor is not completely understood.
Any pregnant woman can have preterm labor.
Infections of the urinary tract, vagina, cervix, etc. This is not an all-inclusive list. If you have questions about these conditions, discuss them with your doctor. Being at an increased risk does not mean a woman will have a preterm baby. It is possible to prevent a baby from being born too early, in some cases, if early warning signs are recognized and steps are taken to stop labor.