The prevention of prematurity.

The prevention of prematurity requires identification of the patients most likely to go into labour prematurely and early recognition of threatened premature labour. There are unfortunately few clinical signs to help identify these patients, but certain features in the history are helpful. As soon as premature labour is diagnosed, energetic and active treatment with corticosteroids to advance pulmonary maturity and uterine suppression should be instituted. It is important to bear in mind that these patients should be managed in units, where not only is such treatment feasible, but neonatal intensive care is available, if labour cannot be suppressed.