Doctors are getting new clues into what causes preterm birth.
Six gene variants have been identified and this could lead to ways to prevent women going into labor too soon.
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If you look at the scope of the problem, preterm is birth before 37 weeks. It can lead to life-long problems and early death and it happens in almost 10 percent of babies in the US.
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows mutations in six genes are associated with babies being born prematurely.
It also shows how a lack of selenium, a mineral found in many foods, may play a role.
The findings in the study could help lead to treatments to prevent preterm birth in the future.
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