Professor Allison Shorten

Center for Interprofessional Education and Simulation, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Prevention of preterm birth remains an important priority for international perinatal research. Identification of risk factors is important for development of effective preterm birth prevention strategies. One of our latest EBN commentaries, by international experts Laura Visser, Marjon A de Boer and Ben W Mol, presents an interesting discussion of recent research by Wong and Wilks (2016), which highlights a relationship between caesarean section and preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies. As the quest to identify risk factors for preterm birth continues, our commentators note that large observational studies are needed to determine the pathophysiology and possible causal relationships between the risk factors identified (Caesarean section, new tobacco use, short interpregnancy interval) and preterm birth. Caesarean section rates remain high and are increasing in many countries around the globe, making it important to examine relationships between Caesarean section and problems that may arise in subsequent pregnancies. Read more about this interesting case control study and recommendations for future research and clinical management.

Reference:

Wong LF, Wilkes J, Korgenski K, et al. Risk factors associated with preterm birth after a prior term delivery. BJOG 2016;123:1772–8.

Read EBN cimmentary :

http://ebn.bmj.com/content/20/2/42