Accord to recent studies preterm and premature births are on the increase globally - and it is believed that they are on the rise here too. Late motherhood, IVF and obesity are all cited as factors that increase the risk of preterm births - all three factors are becoming more prevalent. So how concerned should we be that rates of preterm births could go up even further?
Just this week researchers have suggested that premature babies still exhibit brain development behind that of their peers, as late as the age of two years old. But how serious are the long term effects of a preterm birth?
Martha talks to Lisa McKenzie, mother of premature twins, consultant obstetrician Professor Lucilla Poston and to Dr Jane Hawdon, neonatologist and paediatrician about the risks of preterm birth and its impact on child development.
