A critical role of interleukin-1 in preterm labor

Preterm birth (PTB; delivery before 37 weeks of gestation) affects 1 out of 10 newborn and is the second leading cause of infant deaths in the United States and worldwide [1,2]. Major advances have been made in the past decades, but the etiology of PTB remains mostly unknown, and to this date no pharmacological compound has been successful in arresting uterine labor after its onset. Accordingly, the rate of PTB in the United States has increased since 1990 (11.72% in 2011 compared to 10.62% in 1990) suggesting that PTB remains an important clinical challenge despite advances made [2].

Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - November 30, 2015 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Mathieu Nadeau-Vallée, Dima Obari, Christiane Quiniouq, William D. Lubell, David M. Olson, Sylvie Girard, Sylvain Chemtob Tags: Survey Source Type: research