Pathogenesis to treatment: Preventing preterm birth mediated by infection

✍ Scribed by James A. McGregor; Janice I. French

• Book ID: 101261931
• Publisher: Hindawi Publishing Corporation
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 75 KB
• Volume: 5
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1064-7449
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-0997(1997)5:2<106::aid-idog4>3.0.co;2-y

✦ Synopsis

Prevention of preterm birth and subsequent newborn immaturity is a primary goal of obstetrical care worldwide. Accumulated evidence shows that 1) as many as 25-50% of preterm births are caused by common genital tract infections and subsequent maternal/fetal inflammatory responses; 2) microbial and maternal host factors (phospholipases, proteases, etc.) play roles in preterm labor and preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM); 3) integrated aspects of maternal and fetal host responses (inflammation, altered immune adaptations, endocrine and paracrine mechanisms) play increasingly understood roles in premature activation of parturition; and 4) identification and systemic treatment of common genitourinary infections, most importantly bacterial vaginosis (BV), reduce