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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Modeling Ascending Vaginal Infection, Preterm Birth, and Neonatal Morbidity in Mice
Published on: October 10, 2025
Genetics of the cervix in relation to preterm birth
Jennifer E Warren1, Robert M Silver
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
Abstract:
Preterm birth is the most significant problem encountered in obstetrics in the developed world. Genetic factors are thought to play a role in a proportion of preterm births, and candidate genes have been studied in several areas relevant to parturition. Abnormal cervical function, a clinical spectrum, including cervical insufficiency (CI), is a contributing factor to the overall problem of preterm birth. There are many risk factors and etiologies for CI. However, it is becoming clear that, at least in part, a genetic predisposition to CI plays a role in the condition. Specifically, genes related to connective tissue metabolism and inflammation have been shown to be associated with CI.
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