> Preterm Labor & Irritable Uterus

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If women with contractions that do not cause changes in the cervix, or labor are considered to have irritable uterus, those with contractions that occur before the 37^th week of pregnancy that do cause changes to the cervix, or labor should then be considered to be in preterm labor. Many women, we have come in contact with, who have suffered from IU and have done nothing in terms of bedrest or medications have ended up delivering preterm or near-term babies. In addition, researchers found that, “preterm labor does occur in patients with uterine irritability at a rate higher than that in the general obstetric population (18.7% vs 11.0%).”  (Roberts, Perry, Naef, Washburne, Morrison, 1995)