They are not inevitable – 84% of the pre-term births are moderately pre-term," she said.
A lot of pre-term children develop normally," he said.
At times, McEwan employs the pre-term voice to digress on some familiar preoccupations.
Infections, particularly of the mother's genito-urinary tract, can induce pre-term labor as well.
Increased survival rates of pre-term babies means the number is likely to increase further.
Guarantees are needed that other units that will have to take pre-term mothers have the resources to cope".
And unpleasant sex: Stanhope's is surely the only joke about "pre-term necrophiliac paedophile abusers" in town.
Even in developed countries, the rates of pre-term baby deaths are too high among some communities.
It is vitally important that pre-term children receive appropriate physical, psychological and academic support throughout their childhood", he said.
Main outcome measure: frequency of pre-term delivery.
"The steadily increasing survival of very pre-term infants should not be interpreted as a solution to the problem of pre-term birth.
