Premature Birth: Managing Risk Factors
Pregnancy is an exciting time for most women, but it can also be a time of uncertainty. Will my baby be OK? What can I do to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy? You may have heard stories about babies that arrived weeks before their due dates and wondered if there was anything you could do to make sure this didn’t happen to you.
Premature births present a major public health concern in the United States. "Preterm" or "premature" birth refers to any baby that arrives at 37 weeks or earlier, at least three weeks before its due date. The most serious problems with preterm births tend to arise with babies born at 34 weeks or earlier, but even babies born a week or two early can face complications. Today, 12 percent of U.S. births are premature—that is, one in every eight babies.
Fortunately, the vast majority of babies in the U.S. are not born too early, but it does make sense to keep this risk in mind and to take whatever steps you can to avoid premature delivery. This is important because prematurity is the leading cause of death among newborn babies and also poses some serious long-term health risks. Babies born prematurely may face lifelong challenges including intellectual disabilities, breathing and respiratory problems, asthma, cerebral palsy, and vision and hearing loss.
Premature births also create a substantial economic burden for families and health care systems. Infants born prematurely have much higher survival rates than they used to, but they are still at increased risk for poor health outcomes. Premature infants cost the United States $26.2 billion, or roughly $51,600 per infant, two-thirds of which is spent on medical care.
The primary risk factors for preterm delivery include having had at least one previous preterm delivery, multiple gestation (twins or triplets), low maternal weight, being African American and short cervical length.
Research has shown that cervical length is a significant predictor of preterm birth. The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus where it joins the vagina. Having a shortened cervix too soon reflects the early effacement, or thinning, of the cervix, creating risk for premature delivery. The shorter your cervix is, the higher the risk of premature birth.
