Since babies are technically not ready to leave the womb, they are subject to a variety of physical and developmental challenges if they are born early. Here are some tips to help you proactively manage your pregnancy:
Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of premature labor.
Predict your risk of delivering early with a new blood test.
Knowing your risk of premature birth provides doctors with important information they need to proactively monitor the pregnancy and intervene if the result is high-risk.
If you have had a premature birth previously, this is your biggest risk factor for potentially delivering early again. There are other common risk factors that raise red flags, including problems with the cervix or placenta, or other health conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes.