The rise in the number of pre-term births even as more women are receiving prenatal care has led some researchers to question the benefits of prenatal care. But a study by UAB researchers presents a plausible explanation.
"An increased level of prenatal care results in an increased ability to identify at-risk fetuses before they are born," says Greg Alexander, Ph.D., professor of maternal and child health at UAB. "This leads to more interventions and early-induced deliveries that increase the probability of survival of the newborns, while also increasing the number of pre-term births."
Alexander and his colleagues maintain the study reinforces the need for early and ongoing prenatal care in all pregnancies.
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