Premature labour at 26 weeks: what to know

Labour before 37 completed weeks is preterm labour. At 26 weeks, clinicians check whether the womb is contracting, whether the cervix is changing, and whether the waters have broken. They may monitor your pulse, temperature, blood pressure and the baby’s heartbeat, and may examine you or arrange ultrasound tests. A diagnosis is not made from one symptom alone.

The team may discuss care that supports fetal lung development and treatment aimed at delaying birth when that is appropriate. Read more about [Preterm Labour](/conditions/preterm-labour/).

Call your maternity unit or go to the nearest emergency maternity service immediately if you are 26 weeks pregnant and think labour may be starting. Note when symptoms began, how often contractions occur, and whether there is fluid, bleeding or reduced movement. Do not drive yourself if you feel unwell. Take your pregnancy records and medication list.

Depending on your assessment, the team may offer an [Antenatal Steroid Injection](/treatments/pregnancy-and-birth-care/antenatal-corticosteroid-injection/) and discuss other neonatal and obstetric support. A [Cervical Cerclage](/treatments/pregnancy-and-birth-care/cervical-cerclage/) is relevant only in selected cervical problems.

Seek emergency help for regular tightening, pelvic pressure, period-like cramps, low backache, vaginal bleeding, a gush or trickle of fluid, fever, severe abdominal pain, or less fetal movement. These signs can have different causes, but they all warrant prompt assessment at this stage of pregnancy.

Ask: Is my cervix changing? Have my waters broken? How is the baby’s heartbeat? What treatments could help if birth may happen soon? Should I be transferred to a hospital with neonatal care? What symptoms mean I should call again?