Fetal immune cells can be detected in the amniotic cavity even in the absence of inflammation. Therefore, PRB researchers proposed studying amniotic fluid immune cells as a window into the fetal immune system in-utero.
The team reported for the first time that the fetal T cells undergo premature activation in women with spontaneous preterm labor and birth in the absence of intra-amniotic inflammation. Such findings provide evidence suggesting that fetal T cell activation is implicated in the pathogenesis of idiopathic preterm labor and birth.
