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Elevated second-trimester amniotic fluid interleukin-6 levels predict preterm delivery

K D Wenstrom1, W W Andrews, J C Hauth

  • 1Center for Obstetric Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35233-7333, USA.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
|April 16, 1998
PubMed
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Elevated amniotic fluid interleukin-6 in the second trimester can predict preterm birth before 34 weeks. This early intrauterine inflammation marker is associated with spontaneous preterm delivery.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Reproductive Immunology
  • Biomarker Discovery

Background:

  • Preterm birth remains a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality.
  • Identifying reliable predictors of spontaneous preterm delivery is crucial for timely intervention.
  • Intrauterine inflammation is implicated in the pathophysiology of preterm birth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether early second-trimester amniotic fluid interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels predict delivery before 34 weeks' gestation.
  • To assess the association between IL-6 levels and spontaneous versus indicated preterm birth.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of stored second-trimester amniotic fluid samples from women undergoing genetic amniocentesis.
  • IL-6 levels measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in cases delivering between 20-34 weeks and matched controls delivering at >=37 weeks.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Exclusion of samples with fetal aneuploidies, anomalies, or deliveries within 30 days of amniocentesis.

    • Main Results:

    • Amniotic fluid IL-6 levels were significantly higher in women delivering preterm compared to controls (p = 0.004).
    • Elevated IL-6 levels were specifically associated with spontaneous preterm delivery (p = 0.01), but not indicated preterm delivery (p = 0.12).
    • A significant negative correlation was observed between IL-6 levels and gestational age at delivery (R = -0.11633, p = 0.007).

    Conclusions:

    • Elevated second-trimester amniotic fluid IL-6 is a significant predictor of preterm delivery before 34 weeks' gestation.
    • This finding supports the role of early intrauterine inflammation as a key factor in spontaneous preterm birth.
    • Amniotic fluid IL-6 may serve as a valuable early warning biomarker for predicting very preterm birth.