There are many things to consider when deciding whether to delay preterm labor. One of these considerations is the distance to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In ideal circumstances, the mother is already in a hospital with an NICU. If not, an attempt may be made to transfer her to an NICU facility before her premature infant is born.

If there is a good chance that the mother can be transferred before the birth, attempts may be made to slow her labor.

If the distance to the NICU facility is great and labor is progressing quickly, there is usually no attempt to stop labor. After birth, the newborn is transferred to an NICU if necessary.