Can I do anything to reduce the risk of my going into labour early?
It is not totally understood why women go into labour, although it is thought that it is probably due to a combination of factors (see p.144). Unfortunately, most preventive measures to stop premature labour have not proved to be effective, so there may be little that an individual can do to reduce the risk of this happening. However, the most effective self-help measures towards a normal pregnancy, a positive outcome to birth, and hopefully avoidance of a premature labour, are to adopt a healthy lifestyle before and during pregnancy including not smoking or drinking alcohol, eating a well-balanced diet, and getting some form of daily exercise.
