Threatened preterm birth and beyond Clinical management and child follow-up

Despite advances in obstetric care, the optimal management of threatened preterm birth remains to be determined. This thesis contributes to improving the management of threatened preterm birth by evaluating the role of tocolytics and investigating the optimal timing of birth in late preterm prelabour rupture of membranes, considering both short- and long-term child outcomes. Furthermore, this thesis discusses different approaches to long-term follow-up research of children prenatally exposed to obstetric interventions, an area that still receives limited focus. Future studies must further refine the risk assessment of threatened preterm birth, and the evaluation of long-term child outcomes should be standardised in preterm birth studies. Ultimately, by aligning treatment strategies with individual risk profiles, we can improve outcomes not only at birth, but throughout childhood and beyond.