If a woman is concerned that she could be showing signs of preterm (pronounced PREE-term) labor, she should call her health care provider or go to the hospital to get checked. In particular, a woman should call if she has more than six contractions in an hour or if fluid or blood is leaking from the vagina (pronounced vah-JINE-ah).
The health care provider will perform a pelvic exam to see if the membranes have ruptured or if the cervix is beginning to get thinner (efface) or open (dilate). An ultrasound exam may be done, and a monitor may be used to electronically record contractions and the fetal heart rate.