In California, the preterm birth rate in 2018 was 8.7% and has been steadily rising since 2014. There are only a few clinical treatments that have been found to effectively improve maternal and birth outcomes among women with known preterm birth risk factors. Two of these evidence-based interventions are 17 alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P), a synthetic form of progesterone, for recurrent preterm birth prevention, and low-dose aspirin to prevent preeclampsia, which accounts for 15% of preterm births in the U.S. each year. Unfortunately, both interventions are underutilized, especially for those pregnant people who need them the most. The goal of this toolkit, developed by the March of Dimes, is to provide strategies for optimizing the use of 17P and low-dose aspirin among eligible pregnant patients. Studies have shown a 34% reduction in recurrent preterm birth with the use of 17P and a 24% reduction in preeclampsia with the use of low-dose aspirin. This toolkit provides resources and tools for prenatal care providers, nursing staff, and clinic and office managers to expand equitable access to and utilization of these two prevention opportunities in California.
Optimizing Use of Low-Dose Aspirin and Progesterone (17P) for Preterm Birth Prevention (984 KB)