Biomarkers of spontaneous preterm birth: an overview of the literature in the last four decades.

Background: Understanding spontaneous preterm birth ([PTB] < 37 weeks) is difficult due to heterogeneities associated with multitudes of risk factors and pathophysiological pathways. Several biomarkers are routinely used clinically for predicting preterm labor; however, these factors are either nonspecific or detected too late.

Objective: Systematic review of literature on PTB biomarkers in the last 40 years to map out the existing knowledge and gaps in understanding PTB biomarkers.

The expression pattern of two novel cytokines (IL-24 and IL-29) in human fetal membranes.

Objective: interleukin (IL)-24 and -29 are novel cytokines, produced by immune cells in response to microbial antigens. The functions of these cytokines in the reproductive system are unknown. We examined the expression pattern of IL-24 and IL-29 in human fetal membranes from preterm and term births and in in vitro in response to microbial antigens.