Prematurity Research Center

One in eight babies in the United States is born prematurely.
The leading cause of newborn death in the U.S.
Prematurity ranks with some of the most serious health problems of children.
Prematurity costs the nation more than $26 billion annually (IOM 2006).
While it has declined slightly in recent years, the preterm birth rate remains nearly 30 percent higher than it was in the early 1980s.
In nearly half of the cases of premature birth, there is no clear cause.
Some mothers who have done everything right, carrying otherwise healthy pregnancies, still go into labor early — putting the health and life of the baby at risk.
Basic medical research is needed to identify the causes of premature birth, which is at the root of so many other health problems newborns can face.
Intractable problem.
Resistant to traditional approaches.
Multi-faceted phenotype with multiple interacting etiologic mechanisms.
Complex gene-environment (physical and social) interaction.

Babies born even a few weeks prematurely face serious risks of death and long-term disability, including:

Respiratory problems
Underdeveloped organs
Cerebral palsy
Potentially life-threatening infections; and Developmental disabilities, learning disabilities and behavioral problems later in life