{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"126974","rtpr_id":"nPn3MRWdFa","ticker":"SERA","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["SERA"],"title":"1 in 10 U.S. Babies Are Born Too Early. A Leading OB-GYN Says Most Mothers Can Learn Their Risk by Week 21, and Do Something About It.","author":"PR Newswire","published_at":"2026-08-25T12:00:02.832Z","article_body":"1 in 10 U.S. Babies Are Born Too Early. A Leading OB-GYN Says Most Mothers Can Learn Their Risk by Week 21, and Do Something About It.\n\nPR Newswire\n\nSALT LAKE CITY and LOS ANGELES, Aug. 25, 2026\n\nDr. Thaïs Aliabadi, a board-certified OB-GYN and co-host of the SHE MD\npodcast, makes the case that preterm birth risk is personal, knowable between\nweeks 18 and 21 of pregnancy, and worth a direct conversation with your\ndoctor. She points to a simple blood test, the PreTRM® Test from Sera\nPrognostics, and PRIME trial results showing early, low-cost intervention can\ncut the earliest preterm births by more than half.\n\nSALT LAKE CITY and LOS ANGELES, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Preterm birth\naffects about 1 in 10 U.S. pregnancies. It's one of the most common pregnancy\ncomplications. It's also one nobody warns you about. Yet most expecting\nmothers never learn their own risk until something goes wrong, because doctors\ncan flag only about 20% of at-risk women using traditional history-based\nmethods. Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, a board-certified OB-GYN in Los Angeles and\nco-host of the SHE MD podcast, wants that to change. She says risk is personal\nand can be identified as early as week 18. Once a woman knows her risk, she\nand her doctor can act months ahead with low-cost steps.\n\nThe tools to spot that risk already exist. The PreTRM® Test\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=2291961784&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sera.com%2Fproducts%2Fpretrm-test%2F&a=PreTRM%C2%AE+Test)\n from Sera Prognostics, Inc.\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=767099608&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sera.com%2F&a=Sera+Prognostics%2C+Inc.)\n (Nasdaq: SERA), The Pregnancy Company®, is a blood test taken between weeks\n18 and 21 that predicts a woman's individual risk of spontaneous preterm\nbirth, so she and her doctor can plan ahead.\n\nKey Facts\n\n * How common: About 1 in 10 U.S. babies (roughly 10% of pregnancies) are born\npreterm, before 37 weeks. Preterm birth is the leading cause of illness and\ndeath in newborns.\n * The detection gap: Traditional, history-based risk assessment identifies only\nabout 20% of at-risk women, leaving roughly 80% undiagnosed. The gap is widest\nin first-time pregnancies, where there is no prior birth history to draw on.\n * What the PreTRM® Test is: The only broadly validated, commercially available\nblood-based biomarker test that gives an early, individualized risk prediction\nfor spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic singleton pregnancies.\n * How it works: A blood test taken at weeks 18–21 that measures the ratio of\ntwo proteins (IBP4 and SHBG) to predict risk. It is a proteomic test, not a\ngenetic test, and it predicts risk; it does not prevent preterm birth.\n * What happens next: When risk is identified early, providers can act with\nthree low-cost, off-the-shelf steps studied in the PRIME trial: vaginal\nprogesterone, low-dose aspirin, and more frequent nurse check-ins.\n * PRIME trial results (~5,000 participants): PreTRM-guided care reduced preterm\nbirths before 32 weeks by more than 50%, preterm births before 35 weeks by\nmore than 30%, and NICU admissions by 20%.\n * The population-scale opportunity: By Sera's estimate, full national adoption\ncould mean roughly 94,300 fewer NICU admissions each year.\nWhy the 18-to-21-week window matters\nFor most of medicine, preterm-birth risk has been estimated from a woman's\nhistory, especially whether she has delivered early before. That leaves\nfirst-time mothers, who account for four in ten U.S. births, without a clear\nread on their risk. Early screening changes the timeline. Instead of reacting\nto a crisis in the NICU, a mother and her doctor can act months ahead.\n\n\"My whole career has been about preventative care, and lowering the risk of\npreterm birth is one of my greatest passions,\" said Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi. \"For\nyears, all we could do was wait and react. Now we can predict a woman's risk\nearly, and there is something we can actually do about it. We can reduce the\nrisk of preterm birth by more than 50% before 32 weeks. Every pregnant woman\ndeserves that chance, and there is nothing I would not do to get this into\ntheir hands.\"\n\n\"We started SHE MD because women kept telling us the same thing: nobody warned\nthem. Preterm birth is a perfect example. Most moms have no idea it's\nsomething you can check for early, or that there's anything you can do with\nthat information. I want women walking into pregnancy knowing what to ask\ntheir doctor, before anything goes wrong,\" said Mary Alice Haney, co-founder\nand co-host of SHE MD\n\nWhat the PreTRM® Test is\nThe PreTRM® Test is the only broadly validated, commercially available\nblood-based biomarker test that provides an early, accurate, individualized\nrisk prediction for spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic singleton\npregnancies. Taken between weeks 18 and 21 of pregnancy, it measures and\nanalyzes proteins in the blood, specifically the ratio of IBP4 to SHBG, that\nare highly predictive of preterm birth. The result lets physicians identify\nwhich women are at increased risk and make more informed, personalized\ndecisions based on each woman's individual risk. The PreTRM® Test is ordered\nby a medical professional.\n\nCatching risk before the NICU\nIn the PRIME randomized controlled trial of roughly 5,000 participants,\npublished in Pregnancy\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=408069291&u=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1002%2Fpmf2.70202&a=Pregnancy)\n, the journal of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, pairing\nPreTRM-guided risk identification with vaginal progesterone, low-dose aspirin,\nand weekly nurse check-ins reduced the earliest and most dangerous preterm\nbirths (those before 32 weeks) by more than 50%, cut births before 35 weeks by\nmore than 30%, and lowered NICU admissions by 20%. Because NICU care is among\nthe most expensive types of hospital care, those reductions point to lower\ncosts alongside healthier newborns. By Sera's estimate, full national adoption\ncould translate to roughly 94,300 fewer NICU admissions each year.\n\nFrequently Asked Questions\n\nWhat is preterm birth?\nPreterm birth is any birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy. It affects about 1 in\n10 U.S. pregnancies and is the leading cause of illness and death in newborns.\nIn its 2025 Report Card, the March of Dimes gave the United States a \"D+\" for\npreterm birth for the fourth consecutive year.\n\nWhat tests should I ask my doctor about at my 20-week ultrasound?\nYour 20-week anatomy scan is a good time to ask about screening for preterm\nbirth risk. The PreTRM® Test is a blood test taken between weeks 18 and 21\nthat predicts your individual risk of spontaneous preterm birth. It's ordered\nby a medical professional and designed for asymptomatic singleton pregnancies,\nso ask your doctor whether it makes sense for you.\n\nDoes preterm birth affect some women more than others?\nYes. In the United States, Black women have a preterm birth rate of nearly\n15%, about 50% higher than white women, according to\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=972058478&u=https%3A%2F%2Fpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Farticles%2FPMC6381592%2F&a=%C2%A0)\nresearch published in Seminars in Perinatology\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=2336660070&u=https%3A%2F%2Fpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Farticles%2FPMC6381592%2F&a=research+published+in+Seminars+in+Perinatology)\n. Early screening has also tended to reach mainly those with access to\nspecialists. Because the PreTRM® Test predicts risk from a single blood draw\nand does not rely on prior birth history, it can help make early risk\nidentification more widely available. Access is also widening through public\ncoverage. As of July 1, 2026, Illinois Medicaid covers proteomic prenatal\ntesting, including the PreTRM® Test.\n\nHow does the PreTRM® Test work?\nIt measures the ratio of two proteins in the blood, IBP4 and SHBG, that are\nhighly predictive of preterm birth. It is a proteomic (protein-based) test,\nnot a genetic test. It predicts risk; it does not prevent preterm birth.\n\nHow much does the PreTRM® Test cost?\nSera believes every woman should have access to the PreTRM® Test, and that\nprice should not be a barrier. Most families pay far less than the list price.\nIf you have insurance, your out-of-pocket cost depends on your plan's\ncoverage, benefits, and deductible. Sera also offers financial assistance for\nthose who qualify, plus interest-free monthly payment plans. Coverage is\nexpanding, too: under a state law effective July 1, 2026, Illinois Medicaid\nnow covers proteomic prenatal testing, including the PreTRM® Test.\n\nTo see the price you're eligible for, use Sera's patient cost estimator at\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=1168115407&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pretrm.com%2Ffor-moms%2Fpatient-access%2F&a=%C2%A0)\npretrm.com/for-moms/patient-access\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=195003471&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pretrm.com%2Ffor-moms%2Fpatient-access%2F&a=pretrm.com%2Ffor-moms%2Fpatient-access)\n, or call Sera's Customer Support Team at (801) 990-6600. If you order the\ntest at home and pay on your own, the PreTRM® Test is $750, or $600 when you\npay upfront (a 20% discount), with free shipping.\n\nWhat can I do now to reduce my chance of having a premature baby?\nIf your risk is higher, there's a lot you and your doctor can do. In the PRIME\ntrial, PreTRM-guided care using vaginal progesterone, low-dose aspirin, and\nmore frequent nurse check-ins reduced preterm births before 32 weeks by more\nthan 50% and NICU admissions by 20%.\n\nWhere can I learn more or talk to someone?\nStart at pretrm.com/for-moms\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=3415398859&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpretrm.com%2Ffor-moms&a=pretrm.com%2Ffor-moms)\n, where you can read more about the test and check your estimated cost. For\nquestions about ordering, pricing, or financial assistance, reach Sera's\nCustomer Support Team at (801) 990-6600. As always, talk with your own doctor\nabout whether the PreTRM® Test is right for you.\n\nWho is Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi?\nDr. Thaïs Aliabadi is a board-certified OB-GYN who has practiced in Los\nAngeles for more than 25 years and worked in women's health for three decades.\nShe earned her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine\nand completed her residency at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center. A\nwidely followed women's health advocate and co-host of the SHE MD podcast and\nOvii Products, she speaks about preterm birth risk as a practicing physician\nand independent medical expert.\n\nAbout Preterm Birth\nPreterm birth is defined as any birth before 37 weeks' gestation and is the\nleading cause of illness and death in newborns. The 2025 March of Dimes Report\nCard shows that, for the fourth consecutive year, the United States earned a\nD+ grade for preterm birth, marking the longest stretch of the lowest grade in\nReport Card history. Prematurity is associated with a significantly increased\nrisk of major long-term medical complications, including learning\ndisabilities, cerebral palsy, chronic respiratory illness, intellectual\ndisability, seizures, and vision and hearing loss, and can generate\nsignificant costs throughout the lives of affected children. The annual health\ncare costs to manage short- and long-term complications of prematurity in the\nUnited States were estimated to be approximately $25 billion for 2016.\n\nAbout Sera Prognostics, Inc.\nSera Prognostics is a leading health diagnostics company dedicated to\nimproving the lives of women and babies through precision pregnancy care.\nSera's mission is to provide early, pivotal pregnancy information to improve\nthe health of mothers and newborns, resulting in reductions in the costs of\nhealthcare delivery. Sera has a robust pipeline of innovative diagnostic tests\nfocused on the early prediction of preterm birth risk and other complications\nof pregnancy. Sera's precision medicine PreTRM(®) Test reports to a\nphysician the individualized risk of spontaneous premature delivery in a\npregnancy, enabling earlier proactive interventions in women with higher risk.\nSera Prognostics is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.\n\nAbout SHE MD\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=2586372599&u=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fshe-md%2Fid1731012409&a=SHE+MD)\n\nOur knowledge is your power. SHE MD is a weekly podcast hosted by\nworld-renowned celebrity OBGYN Dr. Thais Aliabadi, \"Dr. A,\" and women's\nadvocate and entrepreneur, Mary Alice Haney. Our show empowers women with the\nknowledge and tools to become their own health advocates. Join us for candid\nconversations with celebrity guests and renowned health experts, covering\ntopics from fertility, breast cancer, PMOS, menopause, endometriosis, Ozempic,\nand more. Together, let's celebrate womanhood and nurture a community of\ninformed and resilient women who can fight for their own health.\n\nAbout the PreTRM(®) Test\nThe PreTRM(®) Test is the only broadly validated, commercially available\nblood-based biomarker test that provides an early, accurate and individualized\nrisk prediction for spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic singleton\npregnancies. The PreTRM(®) Test measures and analyzes proteins in the blood\nthat are highly predictive of preterm birth. The PreTRM(®) Test permits\nphysicians to identify, during the weeks 18 through 21 of pregnancy, which\nwomen are at increased risk for preterm birth and its complications, enabling\nmore informed, personalized clinical decisions based on each woman's\nindividual risk. The PreTRM(®) Test is ordered by a medical professional.\n\nSera, Sera Prognostics, the Sera Prognostics logo, The Pregnancy Company, and\nPreTRM are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sera Prognostics, Inc. in\nthe United States and/or other countries. All information in this release is\ncurrent as of July 22, 2026.\n\nSafe Harbor Statement\nThis press release contains \"forward-looking statements\" within the meaning of\nthe Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements\nrelating to broader adoption of effective care strategies across diverse\nclinical settings; reducing healthcare costs; and the Company's strategic\ndirectives under the caption \"About Sera Prognostics, Inc.\" These\n\"forward-looking statements\" are based on management's current expectations of\nfuture events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that\ncould cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set\nforth in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks and\nuncertainties include, but are not limited to: net losses, cash generation,\nand the potential need to raise more capital; revenues from the PreTRM Test\nrepresenting substantially all Company revenues to date; the need for broad\nscientific and market acceptance of the PreTRM Test; a concentrated number of\nmaterial customers; our ability to introduce new products; potential\ncompetition; our proprietary biobank; critical suppliers; estimates of total\naddressable market opportunity and forecasts of market growth; potential\nthird-party payer coverage and reimbursement; new reimbursement methodologies\napplicable to the PreTRM Test, including new CPT codes and payment rates for\nthose codes; changes in FDA regulation of laboratory-developed tests; the\nintellectual property rights protecting our tests and market position; and\nother factors discussed under the heading \"Risk Factors\" contained in our\nAnnual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the\nSecurities and Exchange Commission, as well as any updates to those risk\nfactors filed from time to time in our periodic and current reports filed with\nthe Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release\nis as of the date of the release, and the Company undertakes no duty to update\nthis information unless required by law.\n\nInvestor Contact\nJennifer Zibuda, Head of Investor Relations\njzibuda@sera.com (mailto:jzibuda@sera.com)\n+1 (801) 396-8043\n\nMedia Contact\nChristianna Pally at Brilliant\nsera@brilliant-agency.com (mailto:sera@brilliant-agency.com)\n+1 (516) 383-9648\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/1-in-10-us-babies-are-born-too-early-a-leading-ob-gyn-says-most-mothers-can-learn-their-risk-by-week-21-and-do-something-about-it-302858826.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/1-in-10-us-babies-are-born-too-early-a-leading-ob-gyn-says-most-mothers-can-learn-their-risk-by-week-21-and-do-something-about-it-302858826.html)\n\nSOURCE Sera Prognostics Inc.\n\n\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1974949/Sera-Prognostics-Inc-SHE-MD-Logo.jpg?id=OA2908717\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1974950/Sera-Prognostics-Inc-Headshot.jpg?id=OA2908719\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1974951/Sera-Prognostics-Inc-Chart-Image.jpg?id=OA2908720\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1974947/Sera-Prognostics-Inc-Logo.jpg?id=OA2908711\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nPn3MRWdFa","title":"1 in 10 U.S. Babies Are Born Too Early. A Leading OB-GYN Says Most Mothers Can Learn Their Risk by Week 21, and Do Something About It.","author":"PR Newswire","ticker":"SERA","created":"2026-08-25T12:00:02.832Z","tickers":["SERA"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"1 in 10 U.S. Babies Are Born Too Early. A Leading OB-GYN Says Most Mothers Can Learn Their Risk by Week 21, and Do Something About It.\n\nPR Newswire\n\nSALT LAKE CITY and LOS ANGELES, Aug. 25, 2026\n\nDr. Thaïs Aliabadi, a board-certified OB-GYN and co-host of the SHE MD\npodcast, makes the case that preterm birth risk is personal, knowable between\nweeks 18 and 21 of pregnancy, and worth a direct conversation with your\ndoctor. She points to a simple blood test, the PreTRM® Test from Sera\nPrognostics, and PRIME trial results showing early, low-cost intervention can\ncut the earliest preterm births by more than half.\n\nSALT LAKE CITY and LOS ANGELES, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Preterm birth\naffects about 1 in 10 U.S. pregnancies. It's one of the most common pregnancy\ncomplications. It's also one nobody warns you about. Yet most expecting\nmothers never learn their own risk until something goes wrong, because doctors\ncan flag only about 20% of at-risk women using traditional history-based\nmethods. Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, a board-certified OB-GYN in Los Angeles and\nco-host of the SHE MD podcast, wants that to change. She says risk is personal\nand can be identified as early as week 18. Once a woman knows her risk, she\nand her doctor can act months ahead with low-cost steps.\n\nThe tools to spot that risk already exist. The PreTRM® Test\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=2291961784&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sera.com%2Fproducts%2Fpretrm-test%2F&a=PreTRM%C2%AE+Test)\n from Sera Prognostics, Inc.\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=767099608&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sera.com%2F&a=Sera+Prognostics%2C+Inc.)\n (Nasdaq: SERA), The Pregnancy Company®, is a blood test taken between weeks\n18 and 21 that predicts a woman's individual risk of spontaneous preterm\nbirth, so she and her doctor can plan ahead.\n\nKey Facts\n\n * How common: About 1 in 10 U.S. babies (roughly 10% of pregnancies) are born\npreterm, before 37 weeks. Preterm birth is the leading cause of illness and\ndeath in newborns.\n * The detection gap: Traditional, history-based risk assessment identifies only\nabout 20% of at-risk women, leaving roughly 80% undiagnosed. The gap is widest\nin first-time pregnancies, where there is no prior birth history to draw on.\n * What the PreTRM® Test is: The only broadly validated, commercially available\nblood-based biomarker test that gives an early, individualized risk prediction\nfor spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic singleton pregnancies.\n * How it works: A blood test taken at weeks 18–21 that measures the ratio of\ntwo proteins (IBP4 and SHBG) to predict risk. It is a proteomic test, not a\ngenetic test, and it predicts risk; it does not prevent preterm birth.\n * What happens next: When risk is identified early, providers can act with\nthree low-cost, off-the-shelf steps studied in the PRIME trial: vaginal\nprogesterone, low-dose aspirin, and more frequent nurse check-ins.\n * PRIME trial results (~5,000 participants): PreTRM-guided care reduced preterm\nbirths before 32 weeks by more than 50%, preterm births before 35 weeks by\nmore than 30%, and NICU admissions by 20%.\n * The population-scale opportunity: By Sera's estimate, full national adoption\ncould mean roughly 94,300 fewer NICU admissions each year.\nWhy the 18-to-21-week window matters\nFor most of medicine, preterm-birth risk has been estimated from a woman's\nhistory, especially whether she has delivered early before. That leaves\nfirst-time mothers, who account for four in ten U.S. births, without a clear\nread on their risk. Early screening changes the timeline. Instead of reacting\nto a crisis in the NICU, a mother and her doctor can act months ahead.\n\n\"My whole career has been about preventative care, and lowering the risk of\npreterm birth is one of my greatest passions,\" said Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi. \"For\nyears, all we could do was wait and react. Now we can predict a woman's risk\nearly, and there is something we can actually do about it. We can reduce the\nrisk of preterm birth by more than 50% before 32 weeks. Every pregnant woman\ndeserves that chance, and there is nothing I would not do to get this into\ntheir hands.\"\n\n\"We started SHE MD because women kept telling us the same thing: nobody warned\nthem. Preterm birth is a perfect example. Most moms have no idea it's\nsomething you can check for early, or that there's anything you can do with\nthat information. I want women walking into pregnancy knowing what to ask\ntheir doctor, before anything goes wrong,\" said Mary Alice Haney, co-founder\nand co-host of SHE MD\n\nWhat the PreTRM® Test is\nThe PreTRM® Test is the only broadly validated, commercially available\nblood-based biomarker test that provides an early, accurate, individualized\nrisk prediction for spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic singleton\npregnancies. Taken between weeks 18 and 21 of pregnancy, it measures and\nanalyzes proteins in the blood, specifically the ratio of IBP4 to SHBG, that\nare highly predictive of preterm birth. The result lets physicians identify\nwhich women are at increased risk and make more informed, personalized\ndecisions based on each woman's individual risk. The PreTRM® Test is ordered\nby a medical professional.\n\nCatching risk before the NICU\nIn the PRIME randomized controlled trial of roughly 5,000 participants,\npublished in Pregnancy\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=408069291&u=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1002%2Fpmf2.70202&a=Pregnancy)\n, the journal of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, pairing\nPreTRM-guided risk identification with vaginal progesterone, low-dose aspirin,\nand weekly nurse check-ins reduced the earliest and most dangerous preterm\nbirths (those before 32 weeks) by more than 50%, cut births before 35 weeks by\nmore than 30%, and lowered NICU admissions by 20%. Because NICU care is among\nthe most expensive types of hospital care, those reductions point to lower\ncosts alongside healthier newborns. By Sera's estimate, full national adoption\ncould translate to roughly 94,300 fewer NICU admissions each year.\n\nFrequently Asked Questions\n\nWhat is preterm birth?\nPreterm birth is any birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy. It affects about 1 in\n10 U.S. pregnancies and is the leading cause of illness and death in newborns.\nIn its 2025 Report Card, the March of Dimes gave the United States a \"D+\" for\npreterm birth for the fourth consecutive year.\n\nWhat tests should I ask my doctor about at my 20-week ultrasound?\nYour 20-week anatomy scan is a good time to ask about screening for preterm\nbirth risk. The PreTRM® Test is a blood test taken between weeks 18 and 21\nthat predicts your individual risk of spontaneous preterm birth. It's ordered\nby a medical professional and designed for asymptomatic singleton pregnancies,\nso ask your doctor whether it makes sense for you.\n\nDoes preterm birth affect some women more than others?\nYes. In the United States, Black women have a preterm birth rate of nearly\n15%, about 50% higher than white women, according to\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=972058478&u=https%3A%2F%2Fpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Farticles%2FPMC6381592%2F&a=%C2%A0)\nresearch published in Seminars in Perinatology\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=2336660070&u=https%3A%2F%2Fpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Farticles%2FPMC6381592%2F&a=research+published+in+Seminars+in+Perinatology)\n. Early screening has also tended to reach mainly those with access to\nspecialists. Because the PreTRM® Test predicts risk from a single blood draw\nand does not rely on prior birth history, it can help make early risk\nidentification more widely available. Access is also widening through public\ncoverage. As of July 1, 2026, Illinois Medicaid covers proteomic prenatal\ntesting, including the PreTRM® Test.\n\nHow does the PreTRM® Test work?\nIt measures the ratio of two proteins in the blood, IBP4 and SHBG, that are\nhighly predictive of preterm birth. It is a proteomic (protein-based) test,\nnot a genetic test. It predicts risk; it does not prevent preterm birth.\n\nHow much does the PreTRM® Test cost?\nSera believes every woman should have access to the PreTRM® Test, and that\nprice should not be a barrier. Most families pay far less than the list price.\nIf you have insurance, your out-of-pocket cost depends on your plan's\ncoverage, benefits, and deductible. Sera also offers financial assistance for\nthose who qualify, plus interest-free monthly payment plans. Coverage is\nexpanding, too: under a state law effective July 1, 2026, Illinois Medicaid\nnow covers proteomic prenatal testing, including the PreTRM® Test.\n\nTo see the price you're eligible for, use Sera's patient cost estimator at\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=1168115407&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pretrm.com%2Ffor-moms%2Fpatient-access%2F&a=%C2%A0)\npretrm.com/for-moms/patient-access\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=195003471&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pretrm.com%2Ffor-moms%2Fpatient-access%2F&a=pretrm.com%2Ffor-moms%2Fpatient-access)\n, or call Sera's Customer Support Team at (801) 990-6600. If you order the\ntest at home and pay on your own, the PreTRM® Test is $750, or $600 when you\npay upfront (a 20% discount), with free shipping.\n\nWhat can I do now to reduce my chance of having a premature baby?\nIf your risk is higher, there's a lot you and your doctor can do. In the PRIME\ntrial, PreTRM-guided care using vaginal progesterone, low-dose aspirin, and\nmore frequent nurse check-ins reduced preterm births before 32 weeks by more\nthan 50% and NICU admissions by 20%.\n\nWhere can I learn more or talk to someone?\nStart at pretrm.com/for-moms\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=3415398859&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpretrm.com%2Ffor-moms&a=pretrm.com%2Ffor-moms)\n, where you can read more about the test and check your estimated cost. For\nquestions about ordering, pricing, or financial assistance, reach Sera's\nCustomer Support Team at (801) 990-6600. As always, talk with your own doctor\nabout whether the PreTRM® Test is right for you.\n\nWho is Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi?\nDr. Thaïs Aliabadi is a board-certified OB-GYN who has practiced in Los\nAngeles for more than 25 years and worked in women's health for three decades.\nShe earned her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine\nand completed her residency at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center. A\nwidely followed women's health advocate and co-host of the SHE MD podcast and\nOvii Products, she speaks about preterm birth risk as a practicing physician\nand independent medical expert.\n\nAbout Preterm Birth\nPreterm birth is defined as any birth before 37 weeks' gestation and is the\nleading cause of illness and death in newborns. The 2025 March of Dimes Report\nCard shows that, for the fourth consecutive year, the United States earned a\nD+ grade for preterm birth, marking the longest stretch of the lowest grade in\nReport Card history. Prematurity is associated with a significantly increased\nrisk of major long-term medical complications, including learning\ndisabilities, cerebral palsy, chronic respiratory illness, intellectual\ndisability, seizures, and vision and hearing loss, and can generate\nsignificant costs throughout the lives of affected children. The annual health\ncare costs to manage short- and long-term complications of prematurity in the\nUnited States were estimated to be approximately $25 billion for 2016.\n\nAbout Sera Prognostics, Inc.\nSera Prognostics is a leading health diagnostics company dedicated to\nimproving the lives of women and babies through precision pregnancy care.\nSera's mission is to provide early, pivotal pregnancy information to improve\nthe health of mothers and newborns, resulting in reductions in the costs of\nhealthcare delivery. Sera has a robust pipeline of innovative diagnostic tests\nfocused on the early prediction of preterm birth risk and other complications\nof pregnancy. Sera's precision medicine PreTRM(®) Test reports to a\nphysician the individualized risk of spontaneous premature delivery in a\npregnancy, enabling earlier proactive interventions in women with higher risk.\nSera Prognostics is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.\n\nAbout SHE MD\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4758838-1&h=2586372599&u=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fshe-md%2Fid1731012409&a=SHE+MD)\n\nOur knowledge is your power. SHE MD is a weekly podcast hosted by\nworld-renowned celebrity OBGYN Dr. Thais Aliabadi, \"Dr. A,\" and women's\nadvocate and entrepreneur, Mary Alice Haney. Our show empowers women with the\nknowledge and tools to become their own health advocates. Join us for candid\nconversations with celebrity guests and renowned health experts, covering\ntopics from fertility, breast cancer, PMOS, menopause, endometriosis, Ozempic,\nand more. Together, let's celebrate womanhood and nurture a community of\ninformed and resilient women who can fight for their own health.\n\nAbout the PreTRM(®) Test\nThe PreTRM(®) Test is the only broadly validated, commercially available\nblood-based biomarker test that provides an early, accurate and individualized\nrisk prediction for spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic singleton\npregnancies. The PreTRM(®) Test measures and analyzes proteins in the blood\nthat are highly predictive of preterm birth. The PreTRM(®) Test permits\nphysicians to identify, during the weeks 18 through 21 of pregnancy, which\nwomen are at increased risk for preterm birth and its complications, enabling\nmore informed, personalized clinical decisions based on each woman's\nindividual risk. The PreTRM(®) Test is ordered by a medical professional.\n\nSera, Sera Prognostics, the Sera Prognostics logo, The Pregnancy Company, and\nPreTRM are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sera Prognostics, Inc. in\nthe United States and/or other countries. All information in this release is\ncurrent as of July 22, 2026.\n\nSafe Harbor Statement\nThis press release contains \"forward-looking statements\" within the meaning of\nthe Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements\nrelating to broader adoption of effective care strategies across diverse\nclinical settings; reducing healthcare costs; and the Company's strategic\ndirectives under the caption \"About Sera Prognostics, Inc.\" These\n\"forward-looking statements\" are based on management's current expectations of\nfuture events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that\ncould cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set\nforth in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks and\nuncertainties include, but are not limited to: net losses, cash generation,\nand the potential need to raise more capital; revenues from the PreTRM Test\nrepresenting substantially all Company revenues to date; the need for broad\nscientific and market acceptance of the PreTRM Test; a concentrated number of\nmaterial customers; our ability to introduce new products; potential\ncompetition; our proprietary biobank; critical suppliers; estimates of total\naddressable market opportunity and forecasts of market growth; potential\nthird-party payer coverage and reimbursement; new reimbursement methodologies\napplicable to the PreTRM Test, including new CPT codes and payment rates for\nthose codes; changes in FDA regulation of laboratory-developed tests; the\nintellectual property rights protecting our tests and market position; and\nother factors discussed under the heading \"Risk Factors\" contained in our\nAnnual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the\nSecurities and Exchange Commission, as well as any updates to those risk\nfactors filed from time to time in our periodic and current reports filed with\nthe Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release\nis as of the date of the release, and the Company undertakes no duty to update\nthis information unless required by law.\n\nInvestor Contact\nJennifer Zibuda, Head of Investor Relations\njzibuda@sera.com (mailto:jzibuda@sera.com)\n+1 (801) 396-8043\n\nMedia Contact\nChristianna Pally at Brilliant\nsera@brilliant-agency.com (mailto:sera@brilliant-agency.com)\n+1 (516) 383-9648\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/1-in-10-us-babies-are-born-too-early-a-leading-ob-gyn-says-most-mothers-can-learn-their-risk-by-week-21-and-do-something-about-it-302858826.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/1-in-10-us-babies-are-born-too-early-a-leading-ob-gyn-says-most-mothers-can-learn-their-risk-by-week-21-and-do-something-about-it-302858826.html)\n\nSOURCE Sera Prognostics Inc.\n\n\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1974949/Sera-Prognostics-Inc-SHE-MD-Logo.jpg?id=OA2908717\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1974950/Sera-Prognostics-Inc-Headshot.jpg?id=OA2908719\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1974951/Sera-Prognostics-Inc-Chart-Image.jpg?id=OA2908720\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1974947/Sera-Prognostics-Inc-Logo.jpg?id=OA2908711\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-08-25T12:00:04.158486273Z","server_sent_at_ms":1787659204158},"received_at":"2026-08-25T12:00:04.206Z","source_url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/1-in-10-us-babies-are-born-too-early-a-leading-ob-gyn-says-most-mothers-can-learn-their-risk-by-week-21-and-do-something-about-it-302858826.html"},"analysis":{"id":"115903","press_release_id":"126974","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Biotechnology","sector":"Health Care"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi endorsed the PreTRM® Test, noting that preterm birth risk can be identified via a simple blood test between weeks 18 and 21 of pregnancy.\n\nData from the PRIME trial of ~5,000 participants showed that PreTRM-guided care reduced preterm births before 32 weeks by more than 50% and NICU admissions by 20%.\n\nCommercial access is expanding, with Illinois Medicaid covering the test as of July 1, 2026, and patient pricing set at $750 list or $600 if paid upfront.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":true,"suggestedAngle":"KOL endorsement plus Illinois Medicaid coverage bolster the commercial narrative for SERA's PreTRM Test following positive PRIME trial data."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"pretrm_test_price_list":"$750","prime_trial_participants":"~5,000","pretrm_test_price_upfront":"$600","reduction_nicu_admissions":"20%","reduction_preterm_birth_lt_32_weeks":">50%","reduction_preterm_birth_lt_35_weeks":">30%","estimated_nicu_admission_reduction_national":94300}},"quotedText":"We can reduce the risk of preterm birth by more than 50% before 32 weeks. Every pregnant woman deserves that chance, and there is nothing I would not do to get this into their hands.","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi","role":"OB-GYN and co-host of SHE MD"},{"name":"Mary Alice Haney","role":"co-founder and co-host of SHE MD"},{"name":"Jennifer Zibuda","role":"Head of Investor Relations"},{"name":"Christianna Pally","role":"Media Contact"}],"products":["PreTRM® Test"],"companies":[{"name":"Sera Prognostics, Inc.","ticker":"SERA"},{"name":"SHE MD","relationship":"media partner"},{"name":"March of Dimes","relationship":"mentioned"},{"name":"Brilliant","relationship":"PR agency"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$750","context":"list price of PreTRM Test"},{"amount":"$600","context":"upfront payment price of PreTRM Test"},{"amount":"$25 billion","context":"estimated annual health care costs of prematurity (2016)"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":3,"reasoning":"The release highlights compelling clinical data from the PRIME trial (over 50% reduction in earliest preterm births) and a specific commercial coverage win (Illinois Medicaid), validating the product's efficacy and reimbursement pathway, though it is a promotional release rather than a primary regulatory event."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"SERA"},"globalImportance":25,"audienceRelevance":25,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"small-mid-cap","eventGravity":"commercial_update_with_kol_support","sectorWeight":"health_care"}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":3,"narrative":"Board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi endorsed the PreTRM® Test, noting that preterm birth risk can be identified via a simple blood test between weeks 18 and 21 of pregnancy.\n\nData from the PRIME trial of ~5,000 participants showed that PreTRM-guided care reduced preterm births before 32 weeks by more than 50% and NICU admissions by 20%.\n\nCommercial access is expanding, with Illinois Medicaid covering the test as of July 1, 2026, and patient pricing set at $750 list or $600 if paid upfront.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"pretrm_test_price_list":"$750","prime_trial_participants":"~5,000","pretrm_test_price_upfront":"$600","reduction_nicu_admissions":"20%","reduction_preterm_birth_lt_32_weeks":">50%","reduction_preterm_birth_lt_35_weeks":">30%","estimated_nicu_admission_reduction_national":94300}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi","role":"OB-GYN and co-host of SHE MD"},{"name":"Mary Alice Haney","role":"co-founder and co-host of SHE MD"},{"name":"Jennifer Zibuda","role":"Head of Investor Relations"},{"name":"Christianna Pally","role":"Media Contact"}],"products":["PreTRM® Test"],"companies":[{"name":"Sera Prognostics, Inc.","ticker":"SERA"},{"name":"SHE MD","relationship":"media partner"},{"name":"March of Dimes","relationship":"mentioned"},{"name":"Brilliant","relationship":"PR agency"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$750","context":"list price of PreTRM Test"},{"amount":"$600","context":"upfront payment price of PreTRM Test"},{"amount":"$25 billion","context":"estimated annual health care costs of prematurity (2016)"}]},"model_name":"glm-4.7","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-08-25T13:03:49.525Z","global_importance":25,"audience_relevance":25,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"small-mid-cap","eventGravity":"commercial_update_with_kol_support","sectorWeight":"health_care"}},"durationMs":421239,"modelName":"glm-4.7"}}