Infections of the amniotic fluid (the fluid around the baby in the womb) are among the most common causes of premature birth, according to a study by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine.
In the United States, 12% of babies are born premature, and the rate keeps rising. The researchers analysed the amniotic fluid of 166 women in labour, 133 of whom gave birth prematurely. They found bacteria or fungi in 15% of the samples, some of them not previously linked with premature birth. Women with infected amniotic fluid were more likely to give birth early and to have a sick baby.
So if we can prevent these infections or detect them early, we may be able to prevent premature births. The researchers now plan to extend the study by testing amniotic fluid samples at 20 weeks of pregnancy for infections and treating them, to find ways of prevention or treatment.
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