Smoking cessation alone lowers the risk of pre- term birth significantly (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.72–0.98) (8). On the other hand, mothers who are either underweight or obese, with a body-mass index (BMI) above 35, have a significantly higher risk of preterm birth. Mothers should make use of the nutri- tional counseling that is included in Germany as a regular component of preventive care in pregnancy. For women with stressful jobs, physicians may recommend a lower workload or even a temporary cessation of work to lower the risk of preterm birth.