Molecular Insight into the Pathogenesis of Spontaneous Preterm Birth
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular Pathology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 1091
Special Issue Editor
Interests: preterm birth; placental epigenetics and molecular function; placental transcriptome; placental microbiome; climate change impact of placental function and adverse pregnancy outcomes
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of mortality among neonates and children under five years of age. Each year, over 15 million babies are born preterm worldwide, with more than 1 million succumbing to complications, accounting for 35% of all newborn deaths. Furthermore, moderate to late preterm births, which occur more frequently, are associated with an elevated risk of significant cognitive and neurodevelopmental anomalies in early childhood. The majority of preterm births (~70%) occur spontaneously, with no identifiable cause. Although the underlying mechanisms of spontaneous PTB remain poorly understood, several multifactorial risk factors have been implicated, including infections, trophoblast and decidual senescence, impaired placental autophagy, disruptions in maternal–fetal immune tolerance, maternal stress, and uterine vascular disorders. These factors often interact with various epigenetic, genetic, and environmental predispositions. Vaginal dysbiosis, characterized by the replacement of Lactobacillus species with other bacteria such as Gardnerella vaginalis, has also been linked to spontaneous PTB, although the precise mechanisms driving this association remain unclear.
This Special Issue of Cells aims to showcase recent advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying preterm birth through a collection of original research articles, reviews, and communications. Topics will include molecular insights into placental dysfunction, maternal stress, fetal factors, vaginal dysbiosis, environmental influences, and other risk factors contributing to the pathogenesis of preterm birth.
Dr. Khondoker M. Akram
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- pathogenesis of preterm birth
- placental dysfunctions in preterm birth
- environmental impacts on placental function in preterm birth
- vaginal dysbiosis in preterm birth
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.