A recent study links high-volume hydraulic fracturing, better known as “fracking,” to higher pre-term birth rates. But the conclusion isn’t really warranted. The study found an 11 percent early birth rate among mothers near the drilling sites, while the CDC proclaims that the national pre-term delivery rate is 11.5 percent. That’s not really a meaningful difference when we consider variables such as genetic factors, history of prior pregnancy issues, drug/alcohol use in the parents, etc. None of those confounding issues – other exposures of influences on the course of pregnancy and delivery not related to that fracking score – could be properly considered. Read more.