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The Role of Infection and Inflammation in Stillbirths: Parallels with SIDS?

Caroline Blackwell1

  • 1School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle , Newcastle, NSW , Australia ; Information Based Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute , New Lambton, NSW , Australia.

Frontiers in Immunology
|June 25, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Stillbirths may stem from inflammatory issues triggered by risk factors like genetics and infections. This study explores how these factors, affecting both mother and fetus, could lead to fetal death.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Immunology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Stillbirths are a significant cause of infant mortality.
  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) shares some characteristics with stillbirth.
  • The role of inflammatory responses in stillbirth is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the hypothesis that stillbirths result from dysregulated inflammatory responses to infections.
  • To identify genetic, environmental, and developmental risk factors contributing to stillbirth.
  • To consider the interplay of maternal and fetal inflammatory responses.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on stillbirth and SIDS risk factors.
  • Analysis of genetic (ethnic group, sex), environmental (infection, smoking, obesity), and developmental (testosterone) factors.
  • Exploration of interactions between these risk factors and inflammatory pathways.

Main Results:

  • Genetic, environmental, and developmental factors may dysregulate inflammatory responses.
  • Testosterone's role in male stillbirths and pro-inflammatory responses is considered.
  • Both maternal and fetal inflammatory systems are crucial in stillbirth.

Conclusions:

  • Stillbirths may be linked to inflammatory dysregulation, influenced by multiple risk factors.
  • Understanding these factors and their interactions is key to preventing stillbirth.
  • Further research is needed to explore maternal and fetal inflammatory pathways.

Keywords:
cigarette smokeethnicityinfectioninflammationobesitystillbirthsudden infant death syndrome

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