Causes of spontaneous preterm labour

The mechanisms that lead to human term labour, let alone preterm parturition, are not yet fully understood. It is, therefore, unsurprising that effective strategies to prevent PTB remain inadequate on an in­dividual level. Better identification of the cause may help focus use of the correct preventative interventions or lead to development of more effective treatments. Various pathological processes include inflammation triggered by infection, pathological uterine distension (multifetal pregnancy, polyhydramnios, uterine anomalies), cervical insufficiency, and fetal and maternal stress.