New research suggests the HPV vaccine may help prevent pre-term births.

The vaccine for the human papillomavirus was introduced in 2008 for young women between 12 and 26 years, and was later broadened to include young men as well.

The joint research by Victoria, Otago and Auckland Universities found that receiving more than one vaccine dose prior to pregnancy saw a 13 percent reduction in pre-term births.

Professor Bev Lawton of Victoria's Centre for Women's Health Research Te Tātai Hauora o Hine says the potential impact of even a small reduction in child morbidity from premature birth, is huge.

She said based on 14.9 million premature infants worldwide, if half of all pregnant women received an HPV vaccine, there'd be a reduction of nearly 750,000 pre-term births a year.