Preterm birth prevention


Preterm birth prevention webinar series

The SA Health Preterm Birth Prevention Project team hosted a series of educational webinars. Find links to the recordings below:

  • Preterm Birth Prevention
    Increase your awareness and understanding of proven strategies to reduce preterm and early term birth . Presented by Dr. Kate Andrewartha.
  • The role of the midwife
    Midwives play a significant role in preterm birth prevention. Watch this webinar to understand the scope of midwifery practice in preterm birth prevention and how we can best support women and families at risk of preterm birth. Presented by RM Bel Nitschke
  • Timing of birth
    Current recommendations for timing of birth and implications for early term birth with no medical or obstetric indication. Presented by Dr. Kate Andrewartha.
  • Management of Preterm birth
    Learn about the management of preterm birth for both metropolitan and regional settings. Presented by Dr. Kate Andrewartha.
  • Smoking and vaping in pregnancy: A clinician’s approach in cessation support
    Increase your knowledge, skills and confidence in supporting women to quit smoking/vaping in pregnancy. Presented by RM Bel Nitschke.
  • Early onset pre-eclampsia: Screening and prevention
    Keep up to date with latest recommendations for screening and management of pre-eclampsia. Presented by Dr. Aimee Woods.

Consumer information on preterm birth

There are multiple fact sheets available for download to provide to consumers. Please see below for a list of translated fact sheets. 

Clinical tools

Sonographer tools and resources

The following resources have been developed to educate and support sonographers and sonologists in performing cervical length ultrasound and escalating care for women with an identified short cervical length.

Perinatal Practice Guidelines relating to preterm and early term birth

There are a number of Perinatal Practice Guidelines that directly relate to preterm and early term birth prevention and management, these are:

Refer to individual Perinatal Practice Guidelines for management of obstetric and medical indications for preterm birth.

Art work

Artist: Elizabeth Close, Aboriginal Visual Artist, Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara

This art work celebrates the role of mothers, families, and the integral role that the multidisciplinary care team have in pregnancy, birth, and the care of new lives. It is a celebration of the dedication of the teams that help create miracles daily - their genuine love and compassion for those in their care - the babies, and by extension, families. I have been there. I have been one of those mothers with a baby in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for an extended stay. Without the empathy, kindness and support of the multidisciplinary team, our journey would have been so much more arduous. This artwork is for everyone who has gone through a journey of loss, love, connection, recovery, adulation, sadness and everything in-between; both for families and carers and for staff. Staff carry your families in their hearts long after you’ve left and continue to strive for the best care for families going forward.