According to My Health Bowl, a study at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital and at Harvard Medical School have found that there is a bacteria that colonizes the placenta in the womb, causing pre-term births in pregnant women. This bacteria is also noted to potentially cause developmental problems within the affected newborn babies.
According to researchers, the bacteria colonizes following the onset of a fetal injury. It contributes to pre-term labor and may cause lifelong underlying health issues for the affected child.
Depending upon the type of bacteria or organisms that form the colony in the placenta, the child may suffer from an increased or decreased risk of systemic inflammatory condition.
Unfortunately, researchers have found that intrauterine infections are the most common cause of pre-term childbirth or other injuries to a growing baby.
The bacteria colonies were discovered via cultures that were taken from the placentas that were delivered prior to the second trimester as well as 41 percent of placentas delivered by caesarean section.
It was noted that the higher levels of pro-inflammatory protein was found in newborns were related to the bacteria that occurs with bacterial vaginosis (also known as bacterial vaginitis.)
One author of the study, Andrew Ondedonk, notes that the colonization of bacteria appears to cause the fetal injury, resulting in the preterm birth; and that this information is verified by the work done in the study.
