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30th January 2017
12:16pm GMT

"Decoding the causes of prematurity has been a riddle that's stumped researchers and clinicians for years, but our new study is finally shedding some light on a path toward offering treatment to women we can identify as being at-risk."Researchers examined vaginal swabs from a sample of 2,000 pregnant women, taken at three distinct points in pregnancy, to determine the types of bacteria that were present. Analysis showed that among the many specific types of bacteria, some actually lowered the risk of spontaneous premature birth, while others significantly increased the risk. Professor Elovitz says the breakthrough information is the result of a multidisciplinary team of experts from immunology and microbiology coming together and taking a new approach to the issue, examining the cervix and vagina instead of limiting the scope of their study to the uterus. The authors say that more research is required to confirm the findings, but if proven, it could mean treatments targeting 'bad' cervical bacteria, or replenishing 'good' bacteria could be used to prevent premature birth in the immediate future. Are you a mum to a premie? Let us know your experiences in the Facebook comments or join the conversation on Twitter @HerFamilydotie
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