ABSTRACT
In 2004, 12.5% of all pregnancies in the United States resulted in preterm delivery, most of these as a result of preterm labor. Preterm labor and the resulting preterm delivery continue to be major unsolved problems in obstetrics. Although advances in the fields of obstetrics and neonatology have resulted in significant improvements in perinatal outcomes, preterm delivery is still associated with more perinatal morbidity and mortality than is any other obstetric condition.
