Stress and Pregnancy: Can Work Cause Preterm Labor?

Question
I AM 29 YEARS OLD AND 27 WEEKD INTO MY PREGNANCY.  CAN A HIGH STRESS RELATED JOB, DEALING WITH IRRATE AND DEMANDING CUSTOMERS CAUSE PRELABOR AND SHOULD I BE PUT ON BED-REST FOR THE DURATION OF MY PREGNANCY?

Answer
Usually, the preterm labor is caused by some sort of infection in the vagina, or a shortened cervix. A difficult job, or stress, or demanding customers will not cause preterm labor. As long as you are not having contractions at the level of your belly button, that occur more than 10 minutes from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next contraction and last for more than 45 seconds, each one, you have nothing to worry about. Make sure that you drink plenty of fluid and it is unlikely that you will go into preterm labor. Studies have not shown that bedrest helps even if you are having contractions. (We still place women who are bleeding or having contractions on bed rest, but the studies do not show that it helps at all.) Good Luck.