Progesterone, prescribed for decades to prevent premature birth in high-risk mothers and made by specialty drug stores known as compounding pharmacies, could soon change in cost from $10 a dose to $1,500.

Why?  The FDA has approved a branded version of the medication and KV Pharmaceutical Company, the maker of the new drug called Makena, has warned compounding pharmacies that they face FDA action if they continue to sell nonbranded versions of 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate.

That's $30,000 extra per pregnancy.  

Why are they charging so much?   Premature birth affects 1 in 8 pregnancies, some 543,000 annual births, and incurs $26 billion a year in medical expenses, they say - so the new price of Makena us a bargain, if you frame it the right way.

Maia Szalavitz writing in TIME has the scoop.