195 The placenta microbiome & preterm birth - from gut feeling to a shift in paradigms - a literature review

Abstract

Introduction and Aims of Study: It is a heavily-acknowledged fact that the human placenta remains a poorly understood and understudied organ. The sterile womb paradigm is an enduring premise in biology that human infants are born sterile. However, over the past decade, it has become clear that the placenta rather has its own endogenous microbiome. This review focuses on some of the most recent advances in understanding the unexpected impact of placental microbiomes in the initiation of preterm delivery.