inition of the chain of events that result in pre-term birth. Without an understanding of how it happens, there can be no way of stopping the process, and further, of stopping the process once it has begun being that there is no way of knowing exactly at what stage it is. There has recently been a strong theory proposed which needs to be given more attention, the prostaglandin theory. Briefly, pro-inflammatory cytokines and other immunomodulatory proteins produced by either overt or sub-clinical infection stimulate prostaglandin synthesis and release. This ultimately induces the synthesis and release of metalloproteases, which bring on cervical ripening and membrane weakening and rupture. 4 The increased survival rate with a static incidence means that there are more people with problems in society, more NICUs being filled, more families are having to learn to live with someone that is handicapped, more problems arise with health care funding as more people have chronic health problems, and with a little creativity and a careful eye, the rest of this paper could be a list of the problems that are arising. Some known morbidities of preterm birth include Cerebral Palsy, ADHD, growth retardation, respiratory distress syndrom, decreased cognitive ability, decreased academic skills, decreased visual and gross motor function, and decreased adaptive functions. 5 In a study conducted in Japan, 81 out of 152 patients with Cerebral palsy were type Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL) and were preterm. There were 90 total PVL cases, that indicates that 90% of the PVL cases had been preterm. 6Something that has been accomplished is the identification of many risk factors, and risk factors of risk factors. Some factors that do not appear in this chart are untimely prenatal care, Bacterial Vaginosis and urinary tract infections. A risk factor for premature birth is late entry into prenatal care. This is a risk factor not in itself, but ind...
