Abstract: Preterm birth refers to delivery before 37 weeks of gestation, which can cause neonatal morbidity and death. Although there are many potential causes of pregnancy related complications, infection and inflammation have been identified as an important risk factor for preterm birth. Preterm birth is a global public health problem, but the role of infection factors and immune pathways in the pathogenesis of preterm birth is still not clear.

Key words: infection, inflammation, preterm birth, molecular mechanism