Preterm birth: from understanding of pathogenesis to pregnancy management

Preterm birth is an important issue in the current obstetrics as it is associated with perinatal morbidity and mortality. Today, most studies are aimed at understanding of the pathogenesis of preterm delivery. The known data on cytokine gene polymorphism indicate that in women with preterm birth, the presence of pro-inflammatory dominant alleles is typical. This may lead to increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the utero-placental complex and may also initiate preterm delivery. At present, studies are under way to identify genes that determine the duration of the gestation period. A better understanding of the preterm birth pathogenesis is expected to help prevent this unfortunate outcome and decrease perinatal morbidity and mortality.