Good practice recommendations on spontaneous preterm birth

Preterm birth continues to affect 5 to 12% of all live births in Europe and remains a leading cause of neonatal mortality and short- and long-term morbidity. Despite decades of research and clinical innovation, the overall burden has not substantially declined, and in several European settings rates are rising. This paper is a European Association of Perinatal Medicine (EAPM) Good Practice Recommendation which synthesises current evidence on spontaneous PTB (sPTB) risk and management, and examines why preterm birth persists as a clinical and public health challenge. We review the epidemiology, classification, and aetiology of sPTB; the role of the maternal microbiome; evidence-based preventive strategies; perinatal management; and neonatal care. We highlight the importance of a multicomponent and evidence-based approach, focusing on primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, to reduce the human and societal cost of preterm birth across Europe.