Scientists have found that a specific bacteria may be responsible for a major cause of premature birth in which waters break too soon, triggering labour.
Researchers found that certain bacteria may lead to thinning of the membranes around the baby, causing them to tear.
The membranes that make up the sac which holds the baby usually break at the start of labour.
If a mother's waters break before the baby has reached full term, the medical term is preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM).
If this happens early, before contractions start, it can - but does not always - trigger early labour, 'BBC News' reported.
Researchers at Duke University School of Medicine have found high numbers of bacteria at the site where membranes rupture, which are linked with the thinning of membranes.
If the bacteria are the cause rather than the consequence of early membrane rupture, it may be possible to develop new treatments or screen for women at risk, they said.
In the study, researchers examined membrane samples from a total of 48 women - including PPROM, preterm and term patients - after they gave birth.
They found bacteria were present in all membranes, but the more bacteria present, the thinner the membranes, especially in women with PPROM.
The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.
