Introduction: Childbirth is a natural physiological process, which is individual for every pregnant woman. Premature birth is birth before the 37th week of pregnancy and it starts with regular uterine contractions, with changes in the cervix and possibly with rupture of the fetal membranes. We divide the premature birth according to the weeks of pregnancy, according to how labor began. Purpose: The purpose of this diploma work is to acquire information on the risk factors that can cause premature birth and related complications. The aim is also to present the role of midwives in premature births, determine the proportion of these kind of the births in Slovenia and compare the data with other countries. Methods: We used the descriptive method of reviewing professional and scientific literature to write this diploma work. We used literature which was published between 2011 and 2022. Literature was acquired along using the COBISS database and the Digital Library of the University of Ljubljana (DiKUL) as well as foreign online databases such as Spinger Link, MEDLINE, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library Wiley Online Library, CINAHL and GoogleScholar. In the literature review, we also included the professional recommendations of national and international professionals organizations. Results: Certain risk factors that can be used to identify pregnant women who are at risk of premature birth. It is very important to take an accurate medical history of the woman who is giving birth, like as particular groups of women (pregnant women over 35 years of age) have a much higher risk of premature birth. Blood clotting factors play an important role in preventing bleeding during pregnancy. Placenta previa is the most common cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, as well as bleeding during pregnancy. Malformations of the uterus, injuries to the cervix, smoking, stress, and periodontitis, which can cause changes in the placenta, are also have a major impact on unfavorable outcomes. Premature birth is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns in developed countries. The midwife's role in the premature birth is to provide appropriate support, individual treatment to women in labor and enable them to a positive birth experience. Discussion and conclusion: A review of the literature shows a large number of different factors that have influence on preterm birth, but the cause is often still unknown. Although, there is a lot of research in the area of risk factors, but a little less in the area of the midwife's role in the course of premature birth. Premature birth is rarely mentioned in everyday life. Raising awareness among women is extremely important, as is support for women, positive words from midwives and other health professionals which are present, and also support from the partner. Good interaction between health professionals and the woman in labor is essential for a positive birth experience.
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