Micronutrients and intrauterine infection, preterm birth and the fetal inflammatory response syndrome.

Prematurity is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Intrauterine infection has emerged as a major cause of premature labor and delivery. It has been estimated that 25% of all preterm deliveries occur to mothers who have microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, although these infections are mostly subclinical in nature. This article describes the pathways leading to intrauterine infection, microbiology, frequency and clinical consequences of infection. The pathophysiology of the fetal inflammatory response syndrome is reviewed, as is its relationship to long-term handicap, such as cerebral palsy and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. A possible role for two micronutrients, vitamins C and E, in the prevention of the preterm prelabor rupture of membranes and the consequences of fetal inflammation is considered. Research needs are listed.