The Clinical Burden of Preterm Labour: A Systematic Literature Review

Objectives To summarise real‐world estimates of maternal and infant clinical burden, health‐related quality‐of‐life (HRQoL) impacts, and features of preterm birth (PTB) after preterm labour (PTL) from selected high‐resource countries; as while studies evaluating outcomes after PTB show substantial clinical consequences, similar data among individuals experiencing PTB due to PTL have not been synthesised. Methods and Materials A systematic search was implemented in MEDLINE Ovid and Embase from 01Jan2012‐10Dec2024. Observational studies reporting clinical or HRQoL outcomes, or features of birth among mothers giving birth preterm due to PTL and infants born preterm due to PTL were included. Outcomes were descriptively summarised by outcome and affected population. Results All 19 included studies described features of PTB after PTL; eight reported clinical outcomes after PTL with PTB. Most studies restricted to cohorts of singleton infants/pregnancies. Estimates of neonatal mortality ( n = 5 studies) ranged from 0% to 20%. Serious neonatal complications (e.g., grade 3/4 retinopathy of prematurity [in 6%–9%] and bronchopulmonary dysplasia [in 13%–16%]) were reported within 28 days of birth ( n = 4 studies). By 2 years of age, those born preterm after PTL typically had normal behavioural development ( n = 2 studies). No data on maternal outcomes, clinical outcomes for the child beyond 2 years of age, or HRQoL impacts were identified. Conclusions Few studies have examined the clinical burden associated with PTB after PTL, and no study has investigated HRQoL impacts. Robust longitudinal studies linking PTL to long‐term outcomes are needed to fully understand the clinical burden of PTB resulting from PTL. PROSPERO CRD42022363314.