About 500 000 preterm deliveries before 37 weeks' gestation occur annually in the USA. Worldwide, this figure is estimated to be 15 million each year, with serious associated health implications and high costs to families and society. The management and prevention of preterm birth is highly variable depending on the etiology. Recent studies have shown that Cesarean section (CS) performed late in labor or at full dilatation (FDCS) is associated with recurrent early preterm birth and late miscarriage. However, the clinical problem that FDCS poses in subsequent pregnancies is still under-recognized. In addition to raising awareness, further research is needed to understand the etiology of this association and to develop prevention and management strategies, particularly in light of the escalating CS rate.