New findings suggest selenium supplementation to reduce the risks of PROM in pregnancy: a new overview concerning supplementation during pregnancy

Abstract

New analysis published in the New England Journal of Medicine [1] has identified six genomic regions conferring risk of premature delivery following preterm rupture of membranes (PROM), which is a major health problem worldwide. The information obtained may be useful in implementing new preventive strategies, some of which are simple and inexpensive, such as the use of selenium dietary supplements. The study conducted at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Center (USA) as part of an international collaboration identified six genomic regions that affect the duration of pregnancy and time of delivery. The study, which involved more than 50,000 women, could have important consequences for the prevention of premature births and related complications. Premature births (those that occur before the 37th week of pregnancy) are an important public health problem globally: it is estimated that premature birth is the main cause of death among children under the age of five [2, 3].