• Educate your patients who are pregnant about the signs of preterm labor around the 20th week of pregnancy. Research has found that educating pregnant women can reduce the rate of preterm birth. 
  • Advise patients to eliminate or reduce risk factors, such as smoking, alcohol and illegal drugs. 
  • Train your office staff about the signs and symptoms of preterm labor. Advise them how to manage phone calls from patients who think they are going into preterm labor.
  • Order educational materials from the March of Dimes for display in your waiting room, hospital or clinic. Give these materials to patients when you or your staff are taking a medical history or scheduling the next appointment.
  • Integrate culturally sensitive risk reduction messages into health education materials and programs. Reach out to as many racial, ethnic, and income groups of women and men of reproductive age as possible.
  • Implement sensitive programs that target women at high risk for preterm birth (for example, those who have a history of preterm labor or birth or who are currently pregnant with more than one fetus).
  • Support evidence-based practices. Follow practice guidelines for relevant topics such as management of preterm labor, diabetes screening, and prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and other infections.
  • Learn about preconception care.
  • Persuade your colleagues to counsel their patients who are pregnant about the signs of preterm labor.
  • Encourage and participate in professional education. Support and attend local, regional, state and national professional education programs regarding preterm birth. Contact the March of Dimes for information about the grand rounds program supported by the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute. 
  • Raise public awareness. Promote awareness in your community and among health care professionals about the serious, increasing problem of preterm birth.
  • Advocate for legislation. Support federal and state legislation to increase research on prematurity and expand maternity care services. Support March of Dimes advocacy efforts.
  • Analyze data. Analyze birth, death (fetal, neonatal, infant) and hospital discharge data to determine state and local factors associated with preterm birth. Stratify by plurality, race/ethnicity, maternal age, mode of conception, and mode of delivery. Through Peristats and other sources, the March of Dimes provides online resources, including state and county data.
  • Become an active volunteer. Contact your local March of Dimes office about opportunities for volunteering and raising funds to support the campaign.

Source: Anderson, H.F., et al. Effectiveness of patient education to reduce preterm delivery among ordinary risk patients. American Journal of Perinatology, volume 6, number 2, April 1989, pages 214-217.