Physicians say roughly half of all preterm births are preventable, caused by social, economic and environmental factors, as well as inadequate access to prenatal health care. ER Productions Limited/Getty Images hide caption
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Preterm Births
Roughly 1 in 10 infants were born prematurely in the U.S. in 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The drug Makena is widely prescribed to women at high risk of going into labor early, though the latest research suggests the medicine doesn't work. Luis Davilla/Getty Images hide caption
Preparing for a natural disaster becomes even more complicated when you're expecting. Thanasis Zovoilis/Getty Images hide caption
A doula is trained to provide advice and support for women through pregnancy and childbirth. Mike Harrington/Getty Images hide caption
Doula Support For Pregnant Women Could Improve Care, Reduce Costs
The proportion of elective early deliveries under Medicaid has declined but remains a problem. Health Affairs hide caption
Waiting may be the hardest part, but it's worth it. BeginningSeven/Flickr hide caption
Premature births are lowest in countries that are green. Red signals those with the worst problems. March of Dimes hide caption