Which statement about preterm labor is true?

The statement regarding preterm labor being often requiring hospitalization for management is accurate because preterm labor poses significant risks both to the fetus and the mother. When labor begins before 37 weeks of gestation, it can lead to premature birth, which might necessitate close monitoring and interventions to prolong the pregnancy and enhance neonatal outcomes. Hospitalization allows for a range of management strategies, including hydration, medication to stop contractions (tocolytics), and administration of corticosteroids to help mature the baby’s lungs if delivery is imminent.

While there are other aspects to preterm labor that are relevant, they do not provide the same level of accuracy in this context. For example, preterm labor can occur anytime from the start of the 20th week of pregnancy up until the onset of labor, not only in the second trimester. Fetal heart rate changes may suggest distress but are not definitive indicators of preterm labor. While some infections can be treated with antibiotics, not all cases of preterm labor are caused by infections or are treatable with antibiotics, making that statement too broad and imprecise in the context of preterm labor management.