November is Prematurity Awareness Month. Preterm birth has a number of important implications–from the lifelong development of the child to the extraordinary financial impacts on the family and health care system. That’s why we wanted to talk about it in this week’s podcast.

In some cases the birthing person may have risk factors that predispose them to preterm labor or birth, but in two-thirds of cases there are none. A quarter of preterm births start with the rupture of the amniotic sac, half with contractions, and another quarter are medically induced–or iatrogenic. Three leading causes of preterm birth are: short interpregnancy interval, infection, or stress.

Tune in to learn more about the risk factors, causes of, warning signs, consequences, and possible treatments for preterm labor and preterm birth.

References for this podcast include:

March of Dimes
The Cost of Premature Birth
Incidence of Preterm Birth
Reducing Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Disparities in Preterm and Low Birthweight Births
Preterm Labor