[Risk factors of premature birth and their significance for prevention and health promotion--an analysis based on the BabyCare Program].

In this report: Preterm birth will be characterized as a so far widely neglected public health problem in Germany. Actual evidence with respect to epidemiological and intervention knowledge will be summarized. Objectives, methods and routines of the BabyCare program will be presented. Associations between main risk factors and preterm birth will be calculated. Considerable deficiencies in nutritional habits and in micro nutritional intake will be summarized. And conclusions will be derived for future additional focussed actions in the prevention of preterm birth and other important complications in pregnancy within the program and for additional interventions in health policy which are imperative. It will be shown that the rate of preterm birth can be reduced and there is a high probability for further reduction by additional and targeted interventions in smoking, stress and especially nutrition.