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Updated: Feb 28, 2026
A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development
Published on: June 24, 2020
High- but not low-grade histologic chorioamnionitis is associated with spontaneous preterm birth in a Swedish cohort
Selma Fahmi1, Nikos Papadogiannakis2, Josefine Nasiell1
1a Department of Clinical Science , Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.
Objective:
To examine whether different grades of placenta inflammation are associated with risk for spontaneous preterm birth, taking into consideration maternal and delivery factors. Placentas from spontaneous preterm births were compared with a control group from full-term deliveries.
Methods:
Placentas from 98 full-term, 71 late preterm (gestational week 34-37), and 65 early preterm (gestational week 22-33) singleton deliveries were analysed from the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. The placentas were examined for histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA) grade 1 (low) and 2 (high). Mother, child, and delivery parameters were collected from maternity centre and delivery forms.
Results:
There was a relatively low incidence of HCA in the preterm groups (26.7% and 38.5% in the late and early preterm groups, respectively). HCA 2 was most common in the early preterm group and HCA 1 was most common in the full-term group. The odds of early preterm birth was lower for placentas with HCA 1 compared to HCA 2 (OR = 0.17) and higher for placentas with HCA 2 compared to no HCA (OR = 2.17).
Conclusions:
Despite a relatively low incidence of HCA in the preterm groups, HCA 2 seems to be associated with early preterm birth whereas HCA 1 seems to be part of the full-term delivery.
