iVillage

Hi Mama! (or mama-to-be!)

"Tell us your stage and we'll customize the site just for you! Or" Sign In. Sign Out

Hi Mama! (or mama-to-be!)

"Tell us your stage and we'll customize the site just for you! Or" Sign In. Sign Out
Getting Ready

Trying To Conceive

Am I Pregnant?
1 week 2 weeks 3 weeks 4 weeks 5 weeks 6 weeks 7 weeks 8 weeks 9 weeks 10 weeks 11 weeks 12 weeks 13 weeks 14 weeks 15 weeks 16 weeks 17 weeks 18 weeks 19 weeks 20 weeks 21 weeks 22 weeks 23 weeks 24 weeks 25 weeks 26 weeks 27 weeks 28 weeks 29 weeks 30 weeks 31 weeks 32 weeks 33 weeks 34 weeks 35 weeks 36 weeks 37 weeks 38 weeks 39 weeks 40 weeks 41 weeks 42 weeks
1 week 2 weeks 3 weeks 4 weeks 5 weeks 6 weeks 7 weeks 8 weeks 9 weeks 10 weeks 11 weeks 12 weeks 13 weeks 14 weeks 15 weeks 16 weeks 17 weeks 18 weeks 19 weeks 20 weeks 21 weeks 22 weeks 23 weeks 24 weeks 25 weeks 26 weeks 27 weeks 28 weeks 29 weeks 30 weeks 31 weeks 32 weeks 33 weeks 34 weeks 35 weeks 36 weeks 37 weeks 38 weeks 39 weeks 40 weeks 41 weeks 42 weeks 43 weeks 44 weeks 45 weeks 46 weeks 47 weeks 48 weeks 49 weeks 50 weeks 51 weeks
1 year 13 months 14 months 15 months 16 months 17 months 18 months 19 months 20 months 21 months 22 months 23 months 3 years 3 ½ years 4 years 4 ½ years 5 years 5 ½ years
5 years 6-7 years 8-9 years 10-13 years 14-18 years

R.N. ON Jan 1, 1999 at 12:00PM

chime in now

Getty Images

One out of every ten pregnant women gives birth before term -- the end of the 37th week.

Only 30 percent of these deliveries involve more than one baby. Another 20 percent have risk factors, such as previous preterm labor and bleeding during the second trimester. However, half of those who deliver prematurely lack any major risk factor. There are still many unanswered questions about why preterm delivery occurs.

Dr. Jay D. Iams, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, compares most cases to heart disease, which is caused by a combination of factors, such as a poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking. Similarly, various factors during pregnancy can cumulatively put strain on the body and lead to early labor.

Sue Wallace, R.N., "Sooner than expected?" Parents, September 1998, pp. 127-128

FILED UNDER:

labor

pregnancy

Chime In

More to Explore

Fetal Fibronectin Test for Preterm Labor I believe the test you may be referring to is called 'fetal fibronectin.' This test is done by vaginal swab. And it would not be too late to have this done in your case. For women with a prior preterm delivery, the probability of rec MORE

Your 37th week of pregnancy - iVillage Your 37th week of pregnancy ... Will you be encouraged/allowed to assume any position to give birth, or is the ... MORE

Premature Babies: 2011 March of Dimes Report Card - iVillage How Safe Is Your State for Newborn Babies? Check Out the 2011 PrematureBirth Report Card ... On Joan Smoking Marijuana, Staging A Skintervention Celebrity ... MORE

37 Weeks Pregnant: Pregnancy Week-by-Week Guide - iVillage At 37 weeks pregnant, if your baby weighs over five and a half pounds and you finish the 37th week, your baby is considered full term. ... His Lordship: Lazy 14-Year-Old ... MORE

Premature Labor - iVillage Uterine Irritability and Preterm Labor: How Do They Relate? MORE

Premature Labor: Signs and Symptoms of Preterm Labor If a baby is born before 37 weeks gestation, or weighs less than about five pounds, he or she is considered premature. The single greatest risk factor for preterm labor is a history of preterm labor. Factors commonly associated with preterm la MORE