Methods for diagnosing risk of miscarriage and/or premature birth. The method comprises (i) determining the amount of (MIC-1) present in a body sample taken from a pregnant test subject having a known gestation age and (ii) comparing the determined amount against the amount, or range of amounts, present in equivalent body sample(s) taken from normal pregnant subject(s) of a gestation age which is substantially equivalent to the known gestation age of the test subject.