Prospects for research in reproductive health and birth outcomes

In the last several decades there have been major improvements in the abili ty to control fertility, treat infertility, and reduce maternal, fetal, and infant mortality. However, neither the preterm birth rate nor the rate of long-term neurologic disabilities associated with preterm birth has decline d. Increasing knowledge of the events leading to preterm birth and the path ophysiology of neonatal brain and lung injury suggests that the mortality a nd longterm impairments associated with these conditions will decrease. The large disparities in reproductive health and birth outcomes between indust rialized and developing countries and between most other ethnic groups and blacks in the United States could be reduced by better access to already ex isting effective interventions.