Who is at risk for premature labor?

Q: How do I know if I am at risk for preterm labor?

A: No one knows for sure what causes a woman to have preterm labor. But if you have certain risk factors, you're more likely than a woman without risk factors to have preterm labor. Risk factors include: having already had a premature baby or getting pregnant again too soon after having a baby; being pregnant with twins or more; and having problems with your uterus or cervix. You're more likely to have preterm labor if you're underweight or overweight or if you have health problems, like high blood pressure, diabetes or certain infections. Things in your life like stress, smoking, drinking alcohol and using drugs also put you at risk. Talk to your provider if you have any of these risk factors. You may be able to reduce your risk and have a better chance for a healthy pregnancy.

Researchers have also identified certain groups that are at increased risk of having a premature baby. These groups include:

— Courtesy of the March of Dimes

New study on folic acid and premature births

Q: I recently read that taking folic acid before pregnancy can reduce premature births. Is that true?  

A: A recent study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health found that women who took folic acid supplements for at least one year before they become pregnant may cut their risk of having a premature baby by half.

Dr. Radek Bukowski of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston said the study was an observational analysis based on the self-reporting of folate supplementation by 38,033 participants via a trial. The results indicated highly accurate evidence that if a woman takes folic acid supplements for at least one year prior to conception there may be up to a 70% decrease in very early preterm deliveries (20 to 28 weeks) and up to a 50% reduction in early preterm deliveries (28 to 32 weeks). While more research may be needed, these early trials are encouraging.

"We already know that folic acid supplementation beginning before pregnancy and continuing into the first trimester helps prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, such as spina bifida," said Alan R. Fleischman, M.D., senior vice president and medical director of the March of Dimes. "Dr. Bukowski's research makes us optimistic that taking folic acid for at least one year before pregnancy also may greatly reduce the risk of premature birth and reinforces our message that every woman of childbearing age should consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily." Read the overview from the National Institutes of Health >