Premature birth study suggests genetic link

The University of Aberdeen study found that a mother-to-be in this situation – or who had a sibling who was born prematurely – would be almost two-thirds (60 per cent) more likely to have a premature baby in her first pregnancy.

In subsequent pregnancies she would be 50 per cent more likely to have a pre-term birth.

The findings are based on data taken from mothers and their daughters who gave birth in Aberdeen between September 1948 and March 2008.

Researchers used data from the maternity records of 22,343 mother-daughter pairs to explore the possibility of a genetic cause for spontaneous pre-term birth, which is a leading cause of death in newborns and can lead to long-term problems such as cerebral palsy.

They said more research was now needed to identify whether there are genes which cause the condition.

Dr Sohinee Bhattacharya, lecturer in Obstetric Epidemiology at the University of Aberdeen, led the study.

She said: "Pre-term birth is the leading cause of death and long-term ill-health in babies and children in the developed world. Attempts to predict and prevent spontaneous pre-term births are compromised by gaps in our understanding of what causes the condition.

"Accurate prediction of risk would also help in planning appropriate antenatal care in women deemed to be at high risk.

All the records related to single births only and did not include twins or other multiple pregnancies.