A birth that occurs before the 37th week of gestation

A birth that occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy is considered premature. Although researchers have long sought a way to prevent premature birth, an estimated 9% of infants are still born prematurely, costing the United States billions of dollars in health care expenditures annually. Neonatal intensive care costs for a premature infant generally range from $20,000 to $100,000, and a single day in a neonatal intensive care unit can cost as much as $3,000. While a direct cause cannot be pinpointed for most premature births, there are a number of known risk factors associated with early delivery. These include multiple fetuses, a weak cervix, a difficult pregnancy, fetal abnormalities, maternal infections and other health problems, and poor maternal nutrition. Certain maternal behaviors, including smoking, drug use, and alcohol consumption, are also known to increase the likelihood of premature birth...