Premature births (before 37 weeks) are on the rise in the U.S. To reduce your risk, the March of Dimes suggests:
> Get prenatal care as soon as you think you’re pregnant.
> Don’t smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs or herbs that are not prescribed by your health care provider.
> Reduce stress.
> If you’re in an abusive relationship, get professional help to protect yourself and your baby.
If you have any of these signs, call your doctor right away:
> Contractions (your abdomen tightens every 10 minutes, or more often) or abdominal cramps with or without diarrhea
> Leaking fluid or bleeding from your vagina
> Pelvic pressure, the feeling that the baby is pushing down
> Low, dull backache
Eliminating stress is just one of the ways you can reduce your risk.
