HUAM is not recommended in normal-risk pregnancies. Burden of Suffering Preterm birth is a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in the U.S. Preterm neonates account for at least half of the mortality and morbidity among newborns without congenital anomalies.1 These conditions represent a leading cause of years of potential life lost before age 65.2 Preterm births generate large societal costs in providing neonatal intensive care and long-term treatment for complications.3 Both primary and secondary preventive measures have been proposed for the prevention of prematurity. Primary prevention includes efforts to reduce risk factors for prematurity, such as cessation of tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use, and programs to improve nutrition, socioeconomic conditions, and prenatal care.
Secondary prevention involves the early detection and treatment of preterm labor.
Such delays in detection are thought to limit the effectiveness of tocolysis. Screening for earlier detection of preterm labor has therefore been proposed. The principal screening tests are self-palpation and tocodynamometry. Programs to improve the early detection of preterm labor have centered on educating women about the symptoms of preterm labor and on teaching self-palpation to help them detect the increasing rate of uterine contractions which often precedes preterm labor.4 Studies of these measures have produced mixed results. Some studies have shown that self-palpation has poor sensitivity in detecting preterm labor.