Preterm Birth Awareness: What Pregnant Women Really Know

The findings revealed a mixed picture of awareness. Nearly half of the women in the study were classified as being at higher risk for preterm birth, based on their pregnancy history or current pregnancy factors. Yet among these higher-risk women, more than a third did not recognize their elevated risk in the current pregnancy, even though they had experienced a previous preterm birth. Overall, most women rated their awareness of preterm birth risks as moderate, though awareness levels varied noticeably between countries. Importantly, this self-reported awareness did not differ between women at higher risk and those not considered at risk, suggesting that feeling informed does not always align with actual risk status.

Beyond general awareness, the study also looked at how much women could recall from discussions with neonatal nurses and other health care professionals. This recall was generally limited, with many women remembering only one or two themes from these conversations, such as risk factors or lifestyle advice. Specific topics like warning signs, monitoring during pregnancy, and details about medical interventions were recalled far less often. This pattern held true regardless of whether a woman was considered at higher or lower risk for preterm birth.

The authors offer two possible explanations. Women who see their risk as current tend to absorb advice that feels immediately relevant. Those who view a past preterm birth as history may not sense their present risk and therefore take in less. General or rushed counselling may also leave only a vague impression rather than specific, memorable facts. The authors conclude that awareness on its own is not enough. Clearer, more personal conversations are needed to help women become active partners in prevention and care.

These findings highlight an important disconnect between feeling informed and truly understanding personal preterm birth risk. For future parents and neonatal nurses, this suggests that conversations about preterm birth risk may need to be revisited more than once during pregnancy, using clear and consistent messaging. The researchers point to a wider set of steps, such as naming a woman’s risk clearly, sharing a few key take-home points, and following up at later visits. As part of this, gently checking that key points have come across, sometimes called “teaching back,” can help ensure that important information is not just heard, but remembered.

Paper available at: PREPARE: Pregnancy Research on European Women’s Preterm Birth Awareness, Risk, and Education - Gian Carlo Di Renzo, Silke Mader, Eleonora Brillo, Dilly O. C. Anumba, 2026

Full list of authors: Di Renzo, G.C.; Mader, S.; Brillo, E.; Anumba, D.O.C.

DOI: 10.1177/26884844261431680