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Abstract Preterm birth is a complex cluster of problems , it results in significant health consequences to the infant and emotional and economic costs for families and communities. Although advances in perinatal and neonatal care have improved the survival for preterm infants, those infants who do survive have a greater risk of developmental disabilities, health, and growth problems than infants born at full term. Whereas the group of infants with the greatest risk of morbidity and mortality comprises those born at less than ٣٢ weeks of gestation, infants born between ٣٢ and ٣٦ weeks represent the greatest number of infants born preterm. The latter group of infants also experiences a greater risk for health and developmental problems compared with the risk for infants born at term. To date, no single test or sequence of assessment measures that may accurately predict preterm birth are available, and efforts at the prevention of preterm birth have primarily focused on the treatment of women with symptomatic preterm labor. The main tools that play an important role in the management of preterm labor are tocolytic therapy, antibiotics and corticosteroids. |