My Doctor Online The Permanente Medical Group
Are you having back pain with any of the following?
- Severe pain, weakness or tingling in your leg(s).
- Difficulty stopping urination or loss of control of bladder or bowels.
- Unexplained fever, nausea or vomiting.
- A history of cancer or unexplained weight loss.
We understand that you are experiencing one or more of the health issues that might be impacting your back pain.
We recommend that you discuss these health issues with your doctor before proceeding with this program.
Once you are cleared by your doctor to do this program, we hope it helps you find relief from your back pain.
Preventing Preterm Birth
Many babies are born on or after their due date, but in this country, about 7 to 10 babies in 100 are born before the 37th week of pregnancy. These babies are referred to as preterm. Preterm labor happens between 20 and 37 weeks when a pregnant woman has regular contractions of the uterus that cause the cervix to soften or open. Sometimes the woman is not even aware of the contractions.
If preterm labor is diagnosed early, the possibility of treating it and stopping labor is greater than if it is detected late. Because many babies born before 37 weeks are underdeveloped, they tend to have more health problems. Babies born before 35 weeks are of particular concern. Therefore, one of the goals of prenatal care is to take certain precautions to recognize and treat the early signs of preterm labor.
During your second trimester, we pay particular attention to your individual risk for preterm labor and try to identify if you have any of the following high risk categories:
- Previous preterm labor or delivery
- Pregnant with more than one baby
- Structural abnormalities of the uterus, cervix, or placenta
- Frequent uterine contractions
- Two or more previous mid-pregnancy miscarriages or abortions
- Urinary tract infection
- Kidney infection
Even if you do not have any of these identified high risk factors, preterm labor can still occur, and we ask you to watch for the following warning signs.
Risk factors for preterm birth
The following risk factors contribute to the possibility of preterm labor:
- Heavy smoking
- Use of cocaine or amphetamines
- Domestic violence. Pregnant women who experience abuse report an increase in miscarriages, stillbirths, and preterm deliveries following battering incidents.
- Extreme stress
If these risk factors are reduced or eliminated, the chances of carrying the baby to term are greatly increased. We provide information and counseling that can help you quit drinking and using drugs.
Warning signs of preterm labor
Warning signs of preterm labor may be very hard to detect. Waiting to call for help could result in the preterm birth of your baby. Call us right away if you have:
- Menstrual-like cramps (usually in the lower abdomen) that may come and go or remain constant. They may also occur with or without nausea, diarrhea, or indigestion.
- Contractions every 15 minutes or less.
- Low, dull backache below the waist that does not go away when you change position or rest on your side, or a rhythmic backache that comes and goes in a pattern.
- Pelvic pressure or pain that comes and goes in a rhythmic pattern in the lower abdomen, back, and/or thighs (described as "heaviness in the pelvis").
- Intestinal cramping or flu-like symptoms, with or without diarrhea.
- Increase or change in vaginal discharge (heavy or mucous-like discharge, a watery discharge, or a light bloody discharge).
- Rupture of membranes (your bag of waters breaks).
Find help your if partner has ever hurt, hit, threatened you or made you afraid
Abuse is when someone attacks you with words, objects, or fists. Abuse usually happens when one person tries to control another person. If someone has hurt you before, it may happen again. Sometimes abuse starts when you become pregnant.
Abuse during pregnancy can cause health problems for you and your baby. Women who are abused while they are pregnant aren't as healthy and often have more anemia, infections, and bleeding. Babies born to abused women have a higher risk of low birth weight, premature birth, and death. Please talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner if anyone is hurting, threatening, or verbally abusing you. For more information:
- Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline or call 800-799-7233
- Visit the National Sexual Assault Hotline or call 800-656-4673.
- Everyone deserves a safe relationship - PDF
- You deserve a safety zone. Know the facts about teen dating violence. - PDF
If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder.
This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.