Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Complications from preterm birth, defined as occurring before 37 weeks of gestation, are the leading cause of death among children under five. Rates of preterm birth range from 4-16% globally, leading to approximately 900,000 deaths per year, mainly in southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Three-quarters of these deaths could be prevented with low-cost interventions such as antenatal steroids, labour-delaying drugs, antibiotics, and family education and counselling. The causes of preterm labour and birth are not fully understood, but can include infection, chronic diseases, and genetic predisposition.
This Collection welcomes original research on the prevalence, causes, and treatment of preterm labour and birth, with an eye towards reducing the global toll of this phenomenon.