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Many times, we don’t know why a preterm birth happens.

A Spontaneous Preterm Birth can happen because:

  • A woman’s body goes into labor early (preterm labor), or
  • The bag of water breaks (preterm premature rupture of membranes, PPROM), or
  • The cervix opens too early (cervical insufficiency)
  • Sometimes placental abruption (when the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus before delivery of the baby) can also be a cause of spontaneous preterm birth, particularly if the woman’s blood pressure is normal and there is no other good explanation for the abruption
A Medically Indicated Preterm Birth is a delivery recommended by a healthcare provider to reduce the risk to a woman or her unborn child. Common reasons for medically indicated preterm birth include:

  • Pregnancy related problems, such as preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy)
  • Maternal medical problems, such as diabetes
  • Fetal problems, such as poor growth
