According to Time, premature births can be traced to certain types of bacteria, which makes women who have this bacteria at much higher risk of giving premature birth.

The researchers in this study reported that the lactobacillus bacteria are healthy and have positive effects on vaginal health, which means that the absence of these bacteria in a pregnant woman increases the risk of preterm delivery.

While bacteria can have negative associations, the researchers reaffirmed that some bacteria are good for health. There are trillions of bacteria present that help maintain health in different parts of human body such as mouth, intestines, nostrils, anus, vagina, hands, skin and armpits. The danger occurs when these bacteria go unchecked.

After examining 49 pregnant women, the researchers have found discrepancies in the vaginal bacteria of women who have given preterm and those who delivered on time.

Dr. David Relman, the study’s lead researcher, claimed that exact reasons for these discrepancies remain unknown. “We may have a new hook, a new angle to pursue. It’s possible that your microbiome could contribute to this pretty common and devastating condition”, he reported.

According to current reports, about 450,000 premature babies are born before they reach 37 week of gestation period. In 2006, the rate of preterm babies was 12.8%, but in 2013, it has lowered bit to 11.3%. The researchers in this study claim that they will continue to research the topic, to improve their knowledge on the topic and ensure healthy deliveries both for newborns and women.