For any expectant mother the idea of having our baby born prematurely is pretty terrifying. Particularly when the usual images we see of premature babies include them hooked up to a million tubes, wires, and other life-saving machines and eighty-five percent of neonatal morbidity and mortality is a result of premature birth. We hear about family or friends giving birth too soon and all the medical issues their babies face, if they are lucky enough to survive, even throughout their adolescent years.
Even in the last weeks of pregnancy when most of us are chomping at the bit to finally hold our sweet babies, we want to ensure that they are healthy and completely ready for the outside world before they make their grand entrance. Unfortunately the issue of premature birth is on the rise in the United States, with about 1 in 10 babies being born preterm (before 37 weeks gestation) in 2015. With numbers like that you would think prematurity would be difficult to prevent but the fact is many of the causes of premature birth are preventable, if you take the time to understand them.