What Happens After Preterm Labor is Stopped?

When labor is successfully interrupted, you may be sent home from the hospital and your doctor may ask you to restrict certain activities to prevent the recurrence of

preterm birth

. This often includes instructions for “pelvic rest”, meaning that nothing is allowed in the vagina. Tocolytics can delay delivery, often for just a few days. This delay may give you time to receive treatment with the ACS or to go to a hospital that has a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit).A NICU is a specialized day care center where newborns receive medical care.

If you have any health problems, such as a heart condition or severe preeclampsia, some tocolytics may not be safe for you. Preeclampsia is a condition that can occur after the 20th week of pregnancy or immediately after pregnancy. It occurs when a pregnant woman has high blood pressure and signs that some of her organs, such as the kidneys and liver, may not be functioning properly. Some of these signs include protein in the urine, changes in vision, and severe headache.If your contractions stop successfully, you may be sent home from the hospital, sometimes with oral medication.

You'll likely be asked to decrease your activity level, or even stay in bed, until your due date approaches. Regardless of the specific procedures your doctor recommends, he or she will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each, the expected results of the treatments, and the reasons for the recommendations.If treatments don't stop preterm labor, or if your doctor thinks you or your baby are at risk, you will give birth to the baby. Sometimes, a C-section delivery may be recommended if the doctor believes that there is an emergency situation. If your hospital doesn't have the resources to care for premature babies, your obstetrician-gynecologist may recommend moving to another hospital with these resources.

Researchers are studying vaginal secretions, called fetal cervicovaginal fibronectin, as a possible predictor of preterm birth.Vaginal progesterone: This treatment may be given if you haven't had a

preterm birth

before but have a very short cervix at 24 weeks of pregnancy or earlier. Normal pregnancies last around 40 weeks so any labor that begins before that date is called preterm labor or preterm delivery. However, if you have any of the risk factors listed below, talk to your doctor and learn what to do if a premature birth occurs. Because

the symptoms of preterm birth

can also look like other medical problems, it's best for a doctor to make a diagnosis.It's difficult for health professionals to predict which women with preterm labor will have a premature birth.

If you think you are experiencing premature contractions, you should stop what you are doing, go to the bathroom to empty your bladder and then lie on your left side. In fact, according to the CDC, up to 50% of women who have a premature birth give birth to their babies at 37 weeks or later. The best prevention for preterm birth is prenatal care, nutrition and knowledge of risk factors and signs of preterm birth.Medications that help prepare the fetus for preterm birth include corticosteroids, magnesium sulfate and tocolytics. In these cases, your doctor may recommend a procedure called cervical cerclage if you're less than 24 weeks pregnant, have a history of premature birth or a short cervix or if there are signs that your cervix has started to dilate.

For example, childbirth and preterm births are 50% more likely among women of African-American descent than among Caucasian women. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reports that only about 10% of women in preterm labor give birth within seven days.If you test positive for group B strep or if you have a premature premature rupture of the membranes (also called PPROM), your healthcare provider can give you antibiotics to help prevent infections in you and your baby. Your doctor will perform several tests to decide if you need to stay in the hospital or receive other care if you have a premature birth.