BOSTON — Acting Gov. Jane Swift, who is eight months pregnant with twins, was hospitalized after experiencing mild contractions and is likely to remain there until she gives birth.
Swift was admitted Tuesday to Brigham and Women's Hospital. Both she and the babies were in good health, doctors said. She is expected to deliver within the next 10 days.
Dr. Leila Schueler said Swift was receiving intravenous fluids to slow the contractions.
"We'd like to keep her pregnant a little bit longer," Schueler said. "She's close, let's face it."
Swift's public schedule has been cleared for now, but she will continue to receive paperwork and meet with aides and colleagues, according to her spokesman, Jason Kauppi.
"Governor Swift is fully capable of continuing her duties," Kauppi said.
Swift, 36. had begun to ease up on her schedule after taking office April 10, when then-Gov. Paul Cellucci resigned to become ambassador to Canada.
Swift, 36, the youngest governor in the country, made national news when she announced she was pregnant as a candidate for lieutenant governor in 1998. She gave birth to her first child three weeks before she was elected.
Swift has said she plans to take up to eight weeks of maternity leave after the delivery, but without relinquishing control of her office.
"We're in the fortunate position of having had a working maternity leave plan in place," Kauppi said. "That plan is essentially applicable to her being in the hospital."