Preterm labor might not mean what you think it does. You’ll learn all about what it is (and isn’t) in this episode. This is the second in a three part series on preterm birth - you can go back and listen to the previous episode if you’d like to hear about some of the risk factors. Now in today’s episode I’m not going to talk about what happens if you have a preterm birth, i.e. the outcomes for baby. Today is only about what happens when you experience preterm labor and how it is treated. Though preterm labor is one of the leading causes of preterm birth, it’s often treatable (50% of those who have preterm labor will not have a preterm birth) and you can go on and continue with your pregnancy relatively normally. In this Episode, You’ll Learn About: -What are the signs and symptoms of preterm labor -When is it time to seek medical attention -How is preterm labor diagnosed -When is it better not to stop a preterm birth -What are the medications used to stop labor (called tocolytics) -What does recovery from preterm labor like -What interventions are not proven to work   Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode163 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way Take a quick, fun labor pain quiz