One in ten babies is born prematurely in the United States, but a blood test during a routine prenatal visit could reveal if a woman is at risk of a preterm delivery, according to a Michigan State University researcher.

“Preterm births are common,” said Hanne Hoffmann, an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and a Global Impact Initiative researcher. “If we know the mother is at risk for a preterm birth, her doctor can monitor her more closely.”

Hoffmann’s research was published online June 18 in the Journal Biology of Reproduction.