Genetic Markers Predict Preterm Birth Risk

[Angel]

A new study sheds light on why some women give birth prematurely and others do not.

Researchers found a genetic variant that may explain the higher number of premature births in African-American women compared to European-Americans. This could help doctors know which patients to target to help reduce that risk.

The study reveals a change in a single nucleotide in the gene sequence in the SERPINH1 gene may be responsible for the increased risk of preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) in African Americans. The study found African American babies are three times more likely to have the genetic variation which causes the gene to produce less collagen which can weaken fetal membranes, also called the "bag of waters." When the membranes are weakened they are more likely to rupture prematurely leading to premature birth.

"Our discovery of an association between a gene variation that is more common in individuals of African descent and a cause of premature birth, can explain in part the disparity in prematurity rates in African Americans," says Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, Virginia. "More importantly, the genetic signature can help us identify women at risk of early breakage of the 'bag of waters' so that appropriate monitoring and therapy can be applied to prevent this serious pregnancy complication."

More than a half-million babies are born prematurely every year. The rate of preterm birth has increased more than 30 percent since 1981.