The Microbiome and Preterm Birth: A Change in Paradigm with Profound Implications for Pathophysiologic Concepts and Novel Therapeutic Strategies

Figure 1

Origin of microbiota in the amniotic cavity leading to preterm birth: The microbiome in the amniotic cavity has long been thought to originate exclusively from the vaginal and cervical microbiome. But microbiota from the oral cavity, gut, and even the placenta provide a substantial contribution to the microbiome in the amniotic cavity mainly via haematogenic spread.