tures must be taken instead of Urinalysis. For example, the diagnosis of the presence of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria requires 100,00 colonies/ml of urine on 2 consecutive clean, mid-stream voided specimens in the absence of signs or symptoms of UTI. 23 Urinary culture necessary in order to detect the greatest number of UTIs. If the issue of cost arises, it is important to remember, The most effective medicine is preventive medicine. The costs of the urinary cultures and treatment of UTIs will be covered with money to spare. The average cost of the first year of care of an infant of *1500g is $93,800 (1987 constant dollars). The actual costs range from $58,000 to $273,900 in first year medical expenses. The preterm birth does not even have to be prevented in order to yield savings. If an infant that would have weighed at least 750g increases 250g, the savings in first year medical expenses range from $12,000-$16,000. If the increase is 500g savings are $28,000. 24 These savings are definitely significant and should be taken into consideration when questioning the price of a certain prenatal care policy.Policy makers have it in their hands to take prenatal and neonatal care in any direction they choose. There is much research to be done in many areas of this field. Three recommended areas requiring significant research are Pathogenesis, Bacterial Vaginosis and fetal fibronectin. They are very promising, but in order to proceed results are needed quickly. Policy makers should focus first on funding research on the pathogenesis of preterm birth. The Prostaglandin pathway is the first solid pathogenesis proposal and as Eastman stated way back in 1947, Only when the factors underlying prematurity are completely understood can any progress toward prevention be made. 25 In this light research on the link between Bacterial Vaginosis and intrauterine microbes must be solidified. There should also be a focus on delineating quick scr...
