Highlighting Black Maternal Health Week: Preterm Labor and Preterm Birth

By: Dr. Lea Porche, Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist at The Children's Hospital of San Antonio

Black Maternal Health Week, which is recognized annually between April 11 and April 17, is an opportunity to build awareness, amplify voices, and promote public health efforts surrounding Black maternal health. Originally founded by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, the week-long campaign is held during National Minority Health Month and begins each year on April 11, which is recognized as the International Day for Maternal Health and Rights. To promote these efforts, Dr. Lea Porche, Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, has penned a series of three articles to highlight disparities that exist and share educational information for both providers and patients. This is the third article in that series.

According to the March of Dimes, in 2021, one in every 10 babies in the U.S. was born prematurely—meaning they were born before 37 weeks gestation. Like maternal mortality, racial disparities also exist when it comes to preterm birth in the U.S., with 14.2% of Black infants born prematurely compared to only 9.2% of their white counterparts. Although the reasons for this are not fully understood, many of the same patient, community, provider and system factors are believed to contribute to this occurrence. 

It is important for patients to be aware of the signs of preterm labor, which can differ significantly between the second and third trimesters. In the second trimester especially, it is common for patients to have no idea they are in labor. Typically, symptoms of labor that early could include painless tightening in the abdomen, a dull backache, a slight sensation of pelvic pressure, and vaginal spotting. Also, any cramping that is increasing in frequency or leaking fluid should be addressed. In the third trimester, symptoms of labor may include regular contractions—which feel like a painful tightening in the abdomen—rhythmic back pain, vaginal bleeding or a sudden increase in discharge and increased pelvic pressure. 

We recommend that women who do go into labor prematurely seek the highest level of care available to them, as expertise and specialized resources can improve outcomes for both mothers and their babies. Maternal transport services are available for expectant mothers who need to be transferred to The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio to receive a higher level of care for both mother and baby. For mothers who give birth prematurely in an outside facility, The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio offers neonatal and pediatric transport available 24/7 to transfer critically ill neonates and infants in need of a high level of care. In addition, the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio has a Level IV NICU—the highest designation available—which means we can provide the most specialized level of care to babies born prematurely.