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Treatment to slow your preterm labor contractions may be used if:
Preterm labor is not always treated. When a pregnancy is nearing term (about 37 or more weeks), or when the mother or her fetus has a serious medical problem, preterm labor is usually allowed to continue until delivery.
When deciding on the amount and type of treatment, your doctor or nurse-midwife will think about:
Preterm labor is usually treated in the hospital, in the labor and delivery area. Whether your amniotic membranes have ruptured before contractions start (preterm premature rupture of membranes, or pPROM) or after contractions have begun (spontaneous rupture of membranes, or SROM), you will be admitted directly to the labor and delivery unit. If rupture of membranes has not occurred, you will be observed for at least an hour or two to see whether your contractions continue and your cervix changes (opens and thins).
If you are admitted to the labor and delivery unit, your doctor or nurse-midwife may choose to:
There is no proof that long-term bed rest lowers the risk of preterm delivery.6 But your doctor may advise you to take it easy and try to rest as much as possible. Studies have shown that strict bed rest for 3 days or more may increase your risk of getting a blood clot in the legs or lungs.7 Strict bed rest is no longer used to prevent preterm labor. But if your doctor has recommended expectant management with some bed rest (partial bed rest), remember to flex your feet, stretch, and move your legs as much as possible.
Cervical cerclage is the placement of stitches in the cervix to hold it closed. Cerclage is meant to stop the cervix from opening early, which could lead to miscarriage or preterm birth. It is not used to treat preterm labor. But for a woman who has had a preterm birth in the past because her cervix did not stay closed, cervical cerclage may prevent another preterm birth.1
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: January 10, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine William Gilbert, MD - Maternal and Fetal Medicine | |
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