NIH PROGRAM STUDY SUGGESTS PREGNANT PEOPLE WITH HIGHER LEVELS OF OXIDATIVE STRESS MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO DELIVER PRETERM BABIES

DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Elevated levels of oxidative stress during pregnancy might be linked to a higher risk of preterm birth, according to a new study funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Program at the National Institutes of Health.

Oxidative stress, a process that can trigger cell damage, may contribute to poor prenatal health outcomes. "Previous research on this topic has involved fairly small, primarily White populations, which is not reflective of diversity in the U.S.," said Stephanie Eick, PhD, MPH, an ECHO Program investigator at Emory University's School of Public Health.

This study examined data from 1,916 racially, ethnically, and demographically diverse pregnant people from four ECHO cohorts across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Researchers used urine samples collected during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy to measure oxidative stress biomarkers and evaluate any links between those biomarkers and preterm birth.

The researchers found a strong association between higher levels of oxidative stress biomarkers and preterm birth, particularly for participants who experienced sudden, unexpected preterm birth or preterm birth that occurred prior to 34 weeks. Further research is needed to understand the chemical mechanisms behind this association and identify the risk factors that contribute to high oxidative stress during pregnancy.

Dr. Eick and Rachel Morello-Frosch, PhD, MPH an ECHO Program investigator at the University of California, Berkeley, led this collaborative research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

_{Eick, S. et al. A pooled analysis of four birth cohorts examining urinary oxidative stress biomarkers and preterm birth. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. DOI:10.1016/j.ajog.2022.11.1282.}

About ECHO: ECHO is a nationwide research program supported by the NIH. Launched in 2016, ECHO aims to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. For more information, visit echochildren.org.

About the NIH: NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information, visit www.nih.gov.

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SOURCE NIH Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program