Pre-Term Labor During The Second Trimester

Going into pre-term labor during the second trimester is never an easy thing. The fact of the matter is that going into pre-term labor is risky for both the baby and for the mother. Any number of things might cause a woman to go into pre-term labor during the second trimester.

Pre-term labor is defined as labor that begins any time between the 20th and the 37th week of pregnancy. While the causes of pre-term labor can vary greatly from one case to another, the fact of the matter is that sometimes a cause can't be determined at all. Pre-term labor during the second trimester may be caused, for example, by a problem with the placenta, such as placental abruption. Pre-term labor during the second trimester can be caused by having an incompetent cervix. It can also be caused by drug or alcohol abuse, or even something as simple as the mother having an infection.

When a woman goes into pre-term labor during the second trimester, a health care provider will typically try to assess the cause of the pre-term labor, and then to help figure out whether you should go through with labor or whether she should try to delay your labor. While it is not uncommon to let labor proceed later on in the third trimester, typically if you go into pre-term labor during the second trimester your health care provider will attempt to delay your labor.

If you go into pre-term labor during the second trimester, it is imperative that you see your health care provider immediately. She will check the state of your cervix, to see if it is an incompetent cervix, and possibly perform a cervical cerclage, in which stitches are placed in the cervix to help keep your baby in place. Your health care provider will probably also check the growth and position of your baby, and may look at the amount of amniotic fluid.

While pre-term labor is never desirable, the prospects are much better today than they were just a few years ago. Most babies that are born sometime after the middle weeks of pregnancy are in a good position to survive. While it is true that not all pre-term babies will make it, many do, and are able to develop normally and grow up to live happy and healthy lives.

Each pregnancy, expectant mother, and unborn child is different. Your pregnancy may not progress the same as the information found here. The information here is based on the average pregnancy. It's not meant to be a replacement for any advice your may receive from your doctor. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, we advise you to contact your doctor.