Cincinnati Children’s Familial Preterm Birth Clinic: Preventing Preterm Births Through Personalized Consultations

Around 12 percent of babies are born prematurely in the United States each year, including 13.7 percent of Hamilton County births in 2011. According to the Ohio Department of Health, Hamilton County’s prematurity rate is 69 percent higher among African American infants than Caucasian infants.To prevent future preterm births, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center recently opened its Familial Preterm Clinic in the Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth.  Directed by Lou Muglia, MD, PhD, of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, this clinic is designed for preconception and early pregnancy planning for women who have experienced a prior preterm birth before 37 weeks as well as women who are less than 24 weeks pregnant and at risk for preterm labor. Patients will be counseled on their specific risk factors in addition to new preventative strategies with recommendations provided to the families and their obstetric providers.The Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth is currently accepting appointments. For more information, call (513) 636-3882.