Early detection can help prevent premature birth and possibly enable you to carry your pregnancy to term or to give your baby a better chance of survival. It may be possible to prevent a premature birth by knowing the warning signs and calling your health care provider if you suspect you are having premature labor.
The cause for preterm birth is in many situations elusive and unknown; many factors appear to be associated with the development of premature birth, making the reduction of premature birth a challenging proposition.
About 12 percent of babies in the United States are born prematurely, which is about one-third higher than the rate in the early 1980s. More women are using fertility treatments, which makes them more likely to have twins or higher order multiples, who tend to arrive early.