TDNet Discover

Background: Preterm birth (PTB) is a current issue in healthcare that affects African American women disproportionately to their white counterparts and can have lasting impacts throughout both the mother’s and the infant’s lifetime. Objective: To assess the comprehensive effects of socioeconomic and environmental factors on epigenetics that contribute to preterm labor (PTL) in African American women. Methods: A systematic review of the current literature present in MEDLINE, Pubmed, and CINAHL was conducted along with a quality assessment and data extraction for each study that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria according to a minimum of two researchers. Results: Nine studies were utilized in the review and revealed the following concerning environment, race, socioeconomic status, and PTB. Race was identified as a major contributor to gene alterations and PTB. Socioeconomic status was also linked to PTB;however, its link to epigenetics was less clear. Environmental exposures such as arsenic and traffic related pollution alter DNAm of specific genes including LYRM2, LINE-1, and AluYb8. Epigenetic changes are present in PTB, with DNAm altered on the following genes: OXTR, NFIX, RAPGEF2, MSRB3, IL6R, TNF-a, PON1, IGF-2, UNC, IL-6, and GSK3B, along with 26-29 unlisted sites. Conclusion: Environment, race, and socioeconomic status influence epigenetics, and epigenetic changes are present in the PTL of African American women. However, specific sites of DNAm have not yet been discovered to connect these risk factors to PTB. Therefore, while no definitive evidence is yet present to state that these risk factors influence PTB through epigenetic pathways, there is a suggested association between these topics that is promising for future research in this area.