know the warning signs

A preterm labor typically begins unexpectedly. Here are some of the warning signs:

  • Contractions, where your abdomen tightens like a fist, every 10 minutes or more often
  • Change in vaginal discharge, such as a watery, mucus-like fluid leaking from the vagina, or bleeding
  • Pelvic pressure; the feeling that your baby is pushing down
  • Low, dull backache
  • Cramps that feel like your period
  • Abdominal cramps with or without diarrhea