ABSTRACT
Preterm birth and congenital malformations are the two major causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity. The problems associated with prematurity have long been recognized by clinicians and studied by epidemiologists. Social interventions have also been ineffective in the prevention of preterm birth. These interventions have been programs of home visits by nurses or nurse-midwives which involved antenatal care and eduction, as well as social support. Studies of the morbidity associated with preterm birth have also highlighted the clinical differences between mildly preterm and extremely preterm infants. The risk of both mortality and morbidity appears to be less for infants born in a tertiary referral unit, and hospital-based data generally gives a better prognosis for extremely preterm infants than regional data does. Retrospective data collection, especially regarding perinatal mortalities, has been an obstetrical obsession. Regional studies have yielded a long list of factors associated with preterm birth, including previous preterm births, medical illnesses, social disadvantage, and poor lifestyles.
