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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffPrompt recognition of preterm labor may help you prevent premature birth. Even months before your due date, be on the lookout for:
- Contractions that occur more than eight times each hour (You'll feel a tightening sensation in your abdomen, often reminiscent of menstrual cramps.)
- Low, dull backache
- Pelvic pressure or pain
- Diarrhea
- Vaginal spotting or bleeding
- Watery vaginal discharge (This may be amniotic fluid, which surrounds your baby in the uterus.)
If you're concerned about what you're feeling, contact your health care provider. Don't worry about mistaking false labor for the real thing.
