Dr. Maria Goya, researcher from the Maternal Fetal Medicine group at Vall d’Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), has been awarded with the Research Prize Josep Font 2013, granted by "http://www.mmcb.es/" Mutual Médica.The award recognizes the study on the use of the pessary to reduce premature births, led at Vall d’Hebron and published in "http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2812%2960030-0/fulltext" The Lancet, on May 2012. The study demonstrated that the insertion of a simple non-invasive cervical pessary during the second trimester of pregnancy in women at high risk of preterm delivery (those women with short cervix) significantly reduces the probability of a premature birth. Specifically, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital achieved a 75 reduction in premature births, thanks to the use of this pessary. Prematurity is the main cause of death during the first month of life, a preemie baby is 180 times more likely to die than a baby born after the 9 months of pregnancy. In the "http://www.vhir.org/salapremsa/noticies/noticies_detall.asp?any=2013&num=2&mv1=5&mv2=3&Idioma=ca&titol=Mutual%20M%E9dica%20concedeix%20el%20pre" 2012 edition, Mutual Médica awarded Dr. Carmen P. Simeón, researcher from the Systemic Diseases group at VHIR, for her study on systemic sclerosis.