Foundations of Preterm Labor Prevention: Understanding Risk, Screening, and Preventive Interventions

Preterm birth — birth before 37 weeks of gestation — is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, and a significant proportion of preterm births are preceded by warning signs that can be identified and managed when providers and patients know what to look for. Understanding the risk factors for preterm labor, the screening tools available to identify elevated risk, and the interventions that can delay or prevent preterm birth is foundational knowledge for anyone in a high-risk pregnancy. By the end of this course you will be able to identify the major risk factors for preterm labor including prior preterm birth, multiple gestation, and cervical factors, explain how transvaginal cervical length measurement is used as a screening tool, describe the role of progesterone therapy and cervical cerclage in prevention, understand what fetal fibronectin testing indicates and when it is used, and recognize the symptoms of preterm labor and the appropriate response. What you will learn: - Defining preterm birth: the gestational age threshold, viability considerations, and outcomes by week of birth - Risk factors for preterm labor: prior preterm birth as the strongest predictor, infection, cervical insufficiency, multiple gestation, and uterine anatomy - Cervical length screening: how transvaginal ultrasound measures cervical length, what a short cervix indicates, and the thresholds that prompt intervention - Fetal fibronectin testing: what fFN is, what a negative result means in terms of short-term preterm birth prediction, and when it is used - Progesterone therapy for preterm prevention: vaginal progesterone for short cervix, 17-hydroxyprogesterone for prior preterm birth history - Cervical cerclage: what it is, who is a candidate, and how it is placed and removed - Tocolytic medications: what they are used for, their limitations, and the concept of using them to provide a window for corticosteroid administration - Antenatal corticosteroids: what they do for fetal lung maturation and why the timing of administration matters The course proceeds through each concept with structured readings and worked examples that show how a short cervix identified at 18 weeks leads to a specific management decision. Reflection prompts invite individuals with preterm labor risk factors to identify which concepts apply to their situation and what questions to bring to their next appointment. This course is designed for individuals with identified risk factors for preterm labor or those who have been told they have a short cervix or other indicator of elevated risk. Suitable for those who are new to this area of pregnancy management. No prior medical background is required. This course is informational and educational; it does not substitute for guidance from your licensed obstetrician or Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist.