41. Prevention of Preterm Birth
- John T. Queenan MD2,
- Catherine Y. Spong MD3,
- Charles J. Lockwood MD4
Published Online: 4 JAN 2012
DOI: 10.1002/9781119963783.ch41
Copyright © 2012 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd
Book Title
Queenan's Management of High-Risk Pregnancy: An Evidence-Based Approach, Sixth Edition
Additional Information
How to Cite
Meis, P. J. (2012) Prevention of Preterm Birth, in Queenan's Management of High-Risk Pregnancy: An Evidence-Based Approach, Sixth Edition (eds J. T. Queenan, C. Y. Spong and C. J. Lockwood), Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK. doi: 10.1002/9781119963783.ch41
Editor Information
- 2
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA
- 3
Bethesda, MD, USA
- 4
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
Publication History
- Published Online: 4 JAN 2012
- Published Print: 24 FEB 2012
ISBN Information
Print ISBN: 9780470655764
Online ISBN: 9781119963783
- Summary
- Chapter
- References
Keywords:
- prevention of preterm birth;
- preterm birth, as livebirth before 37 weeks' gestation;
- USA, and preterm birth, marked racial disparity;
- preterm birth, and death of newborn, with no birth defects;
- prevention of preterm birth, in France;
- preterm birth as a social phenomenon, and low socio-economic status;
- infection and/or inflammation and preterm birth;
- cervical changes and preterm birth, weakness in retaining fetus;
- progesterone prophylactic, effective reproducible treatment
Summary
Preterm birth is defined as a livebirth before 37 completed weeks' gestation. Preterm births can be classified by their apparent etiology as spontaneous preterm labor and delivery, constituting approximately 45% of preterm births; births occurring after spontaneous premature preterm rupture of the fetal membranes, approximately 35% of preterm births; and preterm births that result from a medical or obstetric complication of the pregnancy, approximately 20% of preterm births. Based on common risk factors for their occurrence, it may be appropriate to consider those births caused by spontaneous preterm labor and premature preterm rupture of the fetal membranes as a single entity and likely to be caused by similar pathogeneses.