Study identifies possible causes of and protectors against premature birth

(University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine) Seven types of bacteria and certain immune factors in a woman's vagina and cervix may be responsible for increasing the risk of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) or protect against it, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Results of the study provide groundbreaking information that the authors suggest could help physicians better predict preterm birth, especially for African-American women early in pregnancy.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science https://ift.tt/2uijKEE