Maternal selenium levels and whole genome screen in recurrent spontaneous preterm birth population: A nested case...

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Genetics

Background:

• Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a significant obstetric complication.
• Maternal nutrition, including selenium (Se) status, may influence pregnancy outcomes.
• Previous sPTB is a strong risk factor for recurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between low maternal selenium (Se) levels and recurrent spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB).
• To explore potential genetic links with maternal Se levels in women with a history of sPTB.
• To assess the predictive value of maternal Se levels for sPTB.

Main Methods:

• A nested case-control study was conducted in a tertiary maternity hospital.
• Plasma and whole blood samples were collected from pregnant women of European ancestry with a history of early sPTB (<34 weeks) at 20 weeks gestation.
• Maternal plasma Se was measured using ICP-MS and analyzed via GWAS. Logistic regression was used to assess Se's predictive value.

Main Results:

• Women with recurrent sPTB (<34 weeks) were 2.7 times more likely to have low Se levels (<83.3 ppm) at 20 weeks compared to low-risk controls.
• A genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in a non-coding region (rs55793422) was identified, but targeted analysis of Se-related genes showed no significant difference.
• Including Se levels in a clinical prediction model only marginally improved the identification of cases and controls.

Conclusions:

• Low maternal plasma Se concentration is associated with an increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB).
• Maternal Se levels are not sufficiently predictive for individual sPTB risk assessment.
• No genetic association was found between maternal Se levels and Se-related genes in this cohort.