Women who were born prematurely may be more likely to give birth to a preterm baby, new research suggests.
According to scientists at the University of Aberdeen, women who were premature appear to be 60 per cent more likely to have a premature baby in their first pregnancies, and 50 per cent more likely in subsequent pregnancies.
Lead researcher Dr Sohinee Bhattacharya, who lectures in obstetric epidemiology at the University of Aberdeen, noted that preterm birth is the leading cause of death and long-term ill health in babies in the developed world.
'Attempts to predict and prevent spontaneous preterm births are compromised by gaps in our understanding of what causes the condition,' she revealed.
'Accurate prediction of risk would also help in planning appropriate antenatal care in women deemed to be at high risk.'
The study looked at maternity records on 22,343 mother-daughter pairs and suggests that more research is needed to identify any genes that may be linked to preterm birth.
'Preterm' means that a baby is born before 37 weeks gestation, according to baby charity Tommy's.
Figures show that nearly eight per cent of live births in England and Wales are preterm and that 21 per cent of women who have had a previous preterm birth will have another in their subsequent pregnancy.