Preterm Labor: The Signs That Mean Call Now
Preterm labor is labor that starts before 37 weeks. It doesn't always lead to a preterm birth — sometimes it can be slowed or stopped with treatment — but that window only exists if it's caught early. That makes recognizing the signs, rather than waiting to see if they pass, genuinely protective.
Last updated August 2026
Call your provider or go in for evaluation for any of these, before 37 weeks
Regular contractions (tightening of the belly) every 10 minutes or more often for over an hour, whether or not they're painful.
Menstrual-like cramping, low, dull backache, or pelvic pressure that feels different from usual.
A change in vaginal discharge — becoming watery, mucus-like, or bloody, or a sudden increase in amount.
A gush or steady trickle of fluid, which can mean your water has broken.
Vaginal bleeding.
A general sense that something feels different or wrong — this is worth calling about even without a specific symptom on this list.
Why early evaluation matters
Depending on gestational age and how labor is progressing, treatment options include medications to help the baby's lungs mature faster (if birth can't be prevented), medications to relax the uterus and slow contractions, and antibiotics if the membranes have ruptured. All of these work best, or only work at all, when started before delivery is imminent — which is why "wait and see if it gets worse" isn't the safest approach here.
Who's at higher risk
A prior preterm birth, carrying multiples, a short cervix, certain uterine or cervical conditions, some infections, and short spacing between pregnancies all raise risk — but preterm labor also happens with none of these present. Risk factors change how closely you're monitored; they don't change which symptoms matter.
Braxton Hicks versus true preterm labor
Braxton Hicks contractions (irregular, usually painless practice tightening) are normal starting in the second trimester and don't get closer together or more intense over time. True labor contractions form a pattern — increasingly regular, closer together, and often more intense — and don't stop with rest, position change, or hydration. If you can't tell which one you're having, that uncertainty is itself a reason to get checked rather than a reason to wait.
Worth discussing with your provider
Educational information only — general patterns that vary by person. This is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for care from your own clinician.
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