FRIDAY, Feb. 3, 2017 -- Certain types of
bacteria in a pregnant woman's cervix and vagina can affect her risk of
preterm birth, a new study finds.
The discovery could lead to new ways to
prevent preterm birth (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) either by getting
rid of bad bacteria or boosting protective bacteria, according to the
researchers.
For the study, the investigators analyzed vaginal swabs from 2,000 expectant mothers at three different points in pregnancy.
The researchers found that specific types of
bacteria -- such as certain bifidobacterium and lactobacillus species --
lowered the risk of preterm birth. They also found that other types of
bacteria -- specifically several anaerobic bacteria -- greatly increased
the risk.
If further research confirms the findings, it
could lead to new treatments to reduce the risk of preterm birth, the
study authors suggested.
"For the first time in eight years, the number
of preterm babies in the United States actually increased in 2016, and
unfortunately, there are underlying causes that doctors still don't
understand," said study lead author Dr. Michal Elovitz, of the
University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
"Decoding the causes of prematurity has been a
riddle that's stumped researchers and clinicians for years, but our new
study is finally shedding some light on a path toward offering
treatment to women we can identify as being at-risk," she said in a
university news release.
Elovitz is the director of the university's
Maternal and Child Health Research Center, and a co-investigator for the
March of Dimes' Prematurity Research Center at the university.
Preterm birth is the leading cause of death
among babies in the United States. It's also the leading cause of death
of children under age 5 worldwide, the study authors noted. Survivors of
preterm birth may face serious and lifelong health problems.
The study was presented at a recent Society of
Maternal Fetal Medicine meeting in Las Vegas. Findings presented at
meetings are generally viewed as preliminary until they've been
published in a peer-reviewed journal.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on
preterm birth.
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