Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Modeling Ascending Vaginal Infection, Preterm Birth, and Neonatal Morbidity in Mice
04:18

Modeling Ascending Vaginal Infection, Preterm Birth, and Neonatal Morbidity in Mice

Published on: October 10, 2025

Pregnancy disorders that lead to delivery before the 28th week of gestation: an epidemiologic approach to

T F McElrath1, J L Hecht, O Dammann

  • 1Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA. tmcelrath@partners.org

American Journal of Epidemiology
|August 30, 2008
PubMed

Epidemiologists have grouped the multiple disorders that lead to preterm delivery before the 28th week of gestation in a variety of ways. The authors sought to identify characteristics that would help guide how to classify disorders that lead to such preterm delivery. They enrolled 1,006 women who delivered a liveborn singleton infant of less than 28 weeks' gestation at 14 centers in the United States between 2002 and 2004. Each delivery was classified by presentation: preterm labor (40%), prelabor premature rupture of membranes (23%), preeclampsia (18%), placental abruption (11%), cervical incompetence (5%), and fetal indication/intrauterine growth restriction (3%). Using factor analysis (eigenvalue = 1.73) to compare characteristics identified by standardized interview, chart review, placental histology, and placental microbiology among the presentation groups, the authors found 2 broad patterns. One pattern, characterized by histologic chorioamnionitis and placental microbe recovery, was associated with preterm labor, prelabor premature rupture of membranes, placental abruption, and cervical insufficiency. The other, characterized by a paucity of organisms and inflammation but the presence of histologic features of dysfunctional placentation, was associated with preeclampsia and fetal indication/intrauterine growth restriction. Disorders leading to preterm delivery may be separated into two groups: those associated with intrauterine inflammation and those associated with aberrations of placentation.

More Related Videos

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats07:36

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats

Published on: November 20, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility, suggesting a...
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...
Disorders of the Female Reproductive System01:24

Disorders of the Female Reproductive System

The female reproductive system can be affected by several disorders, including Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), endometriosis, and various forms of cancer. PMS and PMDD are cyclical conditions that cause physical and emotional distress, with symptoms that include edema, mood swings, and food cravings. PMDD is a more severe form of PMS characterized by increased symptom severity that peaks during the luteal phase and tends to improve or resolve shortly after...
Formulating and Validating Nursing Diagnosis II01:25

Formulating and Validating Nursing Diagnosis II

Nursing diagnoses represent a problem validated by major defining characteristics. There are four categories of nursing diagnoses: problem-focused, risk, health promotion or wellness, and syndrome. The anatomy of a nursing diagnosis includes three components: problem statement or diagnostic label, defining characteristics, and related factors.
Risk nursing diagnoses represent clinical judgments of an individual, family, or community more vulnerable to developing the health problem than others...