Premature labour can be an outcome of genes variation in mother and fetus. This new finding came up following a study conducted by U. S. government researchers. On Thursday, results of this finding were offered at the 30th Annual Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Dr Alan E. Guttmacher, Acting Director of the NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver (NICHD) stated, "A substantial body of scientific evidence indicates that inflammatory hormones may play a significant role in the labour process”.

This study involved 229 women and 179 premature infants with 190 genes and more than 700 DNA variants. It was concluded in this study by Dr. Romero and his team previously that infants who carried the DNA variant in the Interleukin 6 receptor gene, were more liable to be born premature.

Dr. Roberto Romero of the National Institutes of Health, who presented his findings at Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in Chicago said, “Preterm birth costs the United States $26 billion per year. The hope is that the findings may lead to genetic tests that assess whether a woman is predisposed to premature labor”.

A preterm-baby carries a risk of death 120 times more than a normal child. Even if the premature baby survives, child may face breathing difficulties, bleeding into brain and neurological disorders like cerebral palsy. Annually, 13 million babies globally and about 5,000,000 U. S children are born premature.