St. David’s Women’s Center of Texas in Austin was one of only 19 study sites nationwide – and one of only two in Texas – to participate in the PRIME study (Prematurity Risk Assessment Combined with Clinical Interventions for Improved Neonatal Outcomes). The multicenter clinical investigation, involving more than 5,000 participants, examined whether a maternal biomarker test, combined with a preventive care protocol, could improve neonatal outcomes. The focus was on pregnant women who, by conventional criteria, were considered low risk for preterm birth.
Dr. Mollie McDonnold, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist with Austin Maternal Fetal Medicine and at St. David’s Women’s Center of Texas, served as the principal investigator, leading the center’s contribution to the study. The center was the highest-enrolling site in Texas.
Participants underwent blood collection between 18 and 21 weeks of gestation for risk assessment of spontaneous preterm birth using a maternal biomarker test. For those with increased risk, daily vaginal progesterone and low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), along with weekly nurse check-ins, were added to standard prenatal care. Women without increased risk received routine care.
Results showed that women classified as higher risk and treated accordingly had lower rates of neonatal morbidity, fewer admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and shorter lengths of stay when NICU treatment was required.
“The study allowed us to participate in research that is paving the way to better support patients with previously unrecognized preterm birth risk,” explained Dr. McDonnold. “The patients enrolled have contributed to insights that could influence the nationwide care of pregnant women.”
St. David’s Women’s Center of Texas remains committed to improving maternal and neonatal health through patient-centered care and participation in research-driven advancements in clinical standards. The findings from the PRIME study may contribute to earlier detection of preterm birth risks and more individualized care strategies in the future.
