Abstract
BackgroundThis study tested if second trimester amniotic fluid cytokine levels, Ureaplasma sp. colonisation and sexual activity predict preterm birth and explain the differential preterm birth rates in Chinese compared to Australian women.MethodsAmniotic fluid was collected by amniocentesis (Chinese 480, Australian 492). Cytokines were measured by multiplex assay and Ureaplasma sp. DNA was detected by PCR analysis. Lifestyle factors, including history of smoking and sexual activity during pregnancy, were obtained through completion of questionnaires upon recruitment to the study.ResultsInflammatory cytokine concentrations were poorly predictive of preterm birth. Ureaplasma sp. was detected in two of the Chinese pregnancies and none from Australia. Sexual activity was less frequent in Chinese, and was not associated with preterm birth or amniotic fluid findings in either population.DiscussionSecond trimester amniocentesis for measurement of inflammatory markers and Ureaplasma sp. DNA was not indicative of risk of preterm birth, at least in these populations. The lower rate of preterm birth in China was not explained by differences in amniotic fluid inflammatory markers, Ureaplasma sp. colonisation, or sexual activity.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2393-14-340) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
This study tested if second trimester amniotic fluid cytokine levels, Ureaplasma sp. colonisation and sexual activity predict preterm birth and explain the differential preterm birth rates in Chinese compared to Australian women
In this study, we have explored the hypothesis that amniotic fluid cytokines/chemokines and Ureaplasma sp. colonisation sampled by amniocentesis early in the second trimester may be useful to predict Preterm birth (PTB), enabling therapeutic interventions aimed at prevention
It was concluded that genetic regulation of cytokine levels during pregnancy was likely related to ethnicity and, in particular, that amniotic fluid cytokine levels were linked to interactions between PTB and genotype in African-Americans, but less in Caucasian-Americans
Summary
This study tested if second trimester amniotic fluid cytokine levels, Ureaplasma sp. colonisation and sexual activity predict preterm birth and explain the differential preterm birth rates in Chinese compared to Australian women. Colonisation and sexual activity predict preterm birth and explain the differential preterm birth rates in Chinese compared to Australian women. Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of death and disability in young children in the developed world [1,2]. In Australia, the rate of PTB is similar to the majority of developed countries at 7-9% and has been increasing over recent decades [3]. The rate of PTB in China is believed to be less than 4%. China to westernised populations was associated with a subsequent increase in risk of PTB. Chinese women in Hong Kong without residency status had rates of 5-6%, increasing to 7.6% for those with residency status, while Chinese women in Western Australia had rates of 4.4% compared to 7-8% in Australian Caucasians [4]
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