Summary This paper is the first in a three-part series on preterm birth, which is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Infants are born preterm at less than 37 weeks' gestational age after: (1) spontaneous labour with intact membranes, (2) preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM), and (3) labour induction or caesarean delivery for maternal or fetal indications. The frequency of preterm births is about 12–13% in the USA and 5–9% in many other developed countries; however, the rate of preterm birth has increased in many locations, predominantly because of increasing indicated preterm births and preterm delivery of artificially conceived multiple pregnancies. Common reasons for indicated preterm births include pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, and intrauterine growth restriction. Births that follow spontaneous preterm labour and PPROM—together called spontaneous preterm births—are regarded as a syndrome resulting from multiple causes, including infection or inflammation, vascular disease, and uterine overdistension. Risk factors for spontaneous preterm births include a previous preterm birth, black race, periodontal disease, and low maternal body-mass index. A short cervical length and a raised cervical-vaginal fetal fibronectin concentration are the strongest predictors of spontaneous preterm birth.
Epidemiology and causes of preterm birth
R. Goldenberg,J. Culhane,J. Iams,R. Romero
Published 2008 in The Lancet
ABSTRACT
PUBLICATION RECORD
- Publication year
2008
- Venue
The Lancet
- Publication date
2008-01-03
- Fields of study
Medicine
- Identifiers
- External record
- Source metadata
Semantic Scholar, PubMed
CITATION MAP
EXTRACTION MAP
CLAIMS
CONCEPTS
- artificially conceived multiple pregnancies
Multiple gestations resulting from assisted conception, mentioned in the abstract as a contributor to preterm birth trends.
Aliases: artificially conceived multiple pregnancy, multiple pregnancies from assisted conception
- cervical-vaginal fetal fibronectin
A fetal fibronectin concentration measured in cervicovaginal fluid and used in the abstract as a predictor of spontaneous preterm birth.
Aliases: raised cervical-vaginal fetal fibronectin concentration, cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin
- developed countries
High-income national settings used in the abstract for comparison of preterm birth frequency.
- indicated preterm birth
A preterm delivery that is initiated because of maternal or fetal indications rather than spontaneous labor.
Aliases: indicated preterm births
- infection or inflammation
A biological process cited in the abstract as one of the contributing causes of spontaneous preterm birth.
- preterm birth
Birth occurring before 37 weeks' gestational age, as defined in the abstract.
Aliases: preterm births
- preterm birth rates
The proportion of births occurring preterm in a population, used in the abstract to describe changing frequency over time.
Aliases: rate of preterm birth
- short cervical length
A shortened measurement of the cervix used in the abstract as a predictor of spontaneous preterm birth.
- spontaneous preterm birth
Preterm birth that follows spontaneous labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes, treated here as a syndrome with multiple causes.
Aliases: spontaneous preterm births
- united states
The national population used in the abstract when reporting the preterm birth frequency estimate.
Aliases: USA
- uterine overdistension
Excess stretching of the uterus, named in the abstract as a contributing cause of spontaneous preterm birth.
- vascular disease
Disease affecting blood vessels, listed in the abstract as a contributing cause of spontaneous preterm birth.