How long can preterm labor be delayed

What is preterm labor?

If you start having regular contractions that cause your cervix to begin to open (dilate) after 20 weeks of pregnancy but before you reach 37 weeks, you're in preterm labor.

It's also known as premature labor. If you deliver your baby before 37 weeks, it's called a preterm birth and your baby is considered premature.

About 10 percent of babies in the United States are born prematurely.

Signs of preterm labor at 32 weeks

Eighty percent are spontaneous preterm births, which means the labor began on its own. You may end up having a spontaneous preterm birth if you go into labor prematurely, if your water breaks early (known as preterm premature rupture of membranes, or PPROM), or if your cervix opens prematurely with no contractions (known as cervical insufficiency).

The remaining 20 percent of preterm births are planned for medical reasons.

If you or your baby has a complication and isn't doing well, your medical team might decide to induce labor early or perform a c-section before 37 weeks. (This might happen if you

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