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PreTRM for Payers
How PreTRM Can
Help Reduce Prenatal Costs

Preterm birth is the most prevalent pregnancy-related complication, leading to a host of medical issues and high costs for affected health plan members. The innovative PreTRM Test for preterm labor risk assessment allows physicians to proactively identify and mitigate risks, providing improved health outcomes and lower medical costs.

Health Impacts of Preterm Birth

Preterm birth—also called premature birth—is a pregnancy complication affecting one in ten pregnancies, with far-reaching impacts on mortality and morbidity.

Prevalence

In 2020, 10.09% of U.S. babies were born prematurely: 364,000 preterm births out of 3.6 million babies.1 Preterm birth is the most prevalent medical challenge facing pregnant women in the U.S., more common than other widely known conditions such as preeclampsia, Down Syndrome, and cystic fibrosis.

Learn more about the prevalence of preterm birth
In 2020, 10.09% of U.S. babies were born prematurely

Mortality

Prematurity is the leading cause of U.S. infant mortality, with over 34% of newborn deaths attributable to preterm birth.2

Read more about mortality associated with preterm birth
Over 34% of newborn deaths are attributable to preterm birth

Morbidity

Premature delivery is associated with a variety of short- and long-term medical issues. In the short term, preterm infants often require specialist care through a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or special care nursery for feeding problems, breathing difficulties, and many other issues. 

After the newborn period, premature infants face a higher risk of many long-term health problems, such as cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, and issues with vision and hearing.

Learn more about medical issues facing preterm infants
Doctor showing her patient PreTRM information on her mobile phone

Economic Impacts of Preterm Birth

Not surprisingly, the increased risk of serious health effects for preterm infants can create the need for heavy use of healthcare resources and extremely high costs.

Learn more about the economic impact of preterm delivery
Preterm birth is a major driver of healthcare
utilization and costs:
$  B
In the U.S., the cost to manage the complications of prematurity in 2016 was $25.2 billion, or $64,815 per preterm birth.3
 X
The lifetime costs associated with preterm birth are estimated to be 10 times higher than those associated with a full-term birth in the U.S.4
 %
Preterm births account for 61% of all maternal and neonatal costs.5
$  B
The most expensive conditions billed to private insurers for hospital stays are pregnancy, delivery, and newborn care, accounting for $51 billion in charges in 2008.6
Pregnant woman holding her belly

Preterm Labor Risk Assessment: the PreTRM Test

When a pregnancy is determined to be at high risk for preterm delivery, there are effective interventions to delay labor and improve neonatal outcomes. Several known risk factors exist for spontaneous preterm labor, but up to half of women who deliver prematurely show no signs of these risk factors at an early enough stage to intervene.7

Using a single blood draw to identify predictive protein biomarkers, The PreTRM Test identifies higher-risk pregnancies that lack evident risk factors for spontaneous preterm birth.

Early Risk Identification for Improved Health Outcomes and Reduced Healthcare Costs

In several published studies, the use of the PreTRM Test for preterm labor risk assessment has shown promise in improving key health and economic indicators by enabling early risk mitigation.

The AVERT PRETERM Trial: Improving Neonatal Outcomes

This historically controlled intervention trial demonstrated a significant seven-day reduction in hospital stays and an 18% reduction in severe neonatal morbidity and mortality for neonates.8

Learn more about AVERT PRETERM Trial
18% Reduction in Severe Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality

Economic Impact: Projections of reduced NICU admission and lower costs using preterm labor risk assessment tools

In this analysis of data from more than 40,000 pregnant members of a major health plan, researchers projected that using the PreTRM test-and-treat strategy could provide dramatic benefits, including an average of $1,600 reduction in newborn medical costs per birth and a 10% reduction in NICU admissions

Learn more about the study
10% reduction in NICU admissions

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References

  1. Hamilton BE, et al. Births: Provisional data for 2020. Vital Statistics Rapid Release; no 12. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. May 2021.
  2. Callaghan WM, et al. The contribution of preterm birth to infant mortality rates in the United States. Pediatrics. 2006 Oct;118(4):1566-73.
  3. Waitzman NJ, et al. Updating National Preterm Birth Costs to 2016 with Separate Estimates for Individual States: Final Report to the March of Dimes. Available from: https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/documents/Cost_of_Prematurity_2019.pdf
  4. Waitzman NJ, et al. Preterm birth lifetime costs in the United States in 2016: An update. Semin Perinatol. 2021 Apr;45(3):151390.
  5. Phibbs CS, et al. Birth Hospitalization Costs and Days of Care for Mothers and Neonates in California, 2009-2011. J Pediatr. 2019 Jan; 204:118-125.e14.
  6. Wier LM, Andrews RM. The National Hospital Bill: The Most Expensive Conditions by Payer, 2008: Statistical Brief # 107. 2011 Mar. In: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Statistical Briefs [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2006 Feb-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53976/
  7. Iams, JD, et al. Prevention of preterm parturition. N Engl J Med. 2014;370:254-61.
  8. Matthew K. Hoffman, Carrie Kitto, Zugui Zhang, et al. Neonatal outcomes after proteomic biomarker-guided intervention: the AVERT PRETERM TRIAL. medRxiv 2023.09.13.23295503; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.09.13.23295503
  9.  Burchard J, et al. Clinical and economic utility of a preterm birth predictor derived from an analysis of a large and diverse pregnancy cohort. medRxiv. 2021.09.08.21262940.