Study finds premature births are genetic

Genetics may be to blame for many premature births, which can cause cerebral palsy. According to a new study conducted by the University of Aberdeen, women who were born prematurely or have siblings who were born early are 50 to 60 percent more likely to give birth prematurely themselves, reports the BBC. The study of 22,343 Scottish women and their daughters seems to show that genetics are responsible for premature births. "Our research supports a genetic predisposition to preterm birth," lead author of the study, Dr Sohinee Bhattacharya told the BBC. The city of Aberdeen, Scotland, was ideally suited for the study as the city has a stable population, a hospital that sees the vast majority of the city's births and an excellent database of birth records. The researchers hope that their findings will be able to help produce a system for identifying these high risk births, that can lead to cerebral palsy. "The development of a reliable test for premature birth is vital in ensuring our most vulnerable babies have the best possible outcomes," Andy Cole, the head of Bliss, a special-care baby charity, told the BBC. Two to three children in every 1,000 have cerebral palsy, according to the March of Dimes.