A collaborative research study led by Stephanie Eick, PhD, MPH of Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and Rachel Morello-Frosch PhD, MPH of the University of California, Berkeley found an association between elevated levels of oxidative stress and higher risk of preterm birth. This study examined data from 1,916 racially, ethnically, and demographically diverse pregnant people from four ECHO cohorts across the United States and Puerto Rico. This research titled, “A pooled analysis of four birth cohorts examining urinary oxidative stress biomarkers and preterm birth,” is published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Oxidative stress is a process that can trigger cell damage and may contribute to poor prenatal health outcomes “This is the largest study to date looking at the relationship between oxidative stress and preterm birth,” said Dr. Eick. “Previous research on this topic has involved fairly small, primarily White populations, which is not reflective of diversity in the US.” Read more about JPB EF Fellow Stephanie Eick’s research.