LAUSR

Pre-pregnancy or first trimester biomarkers predicting preterm delivery are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine whether maternal H-antigen (secretor status) is a potential biomarker for preterm delivery. This cohort study examined maternal saliva samples and birth data gathered by the National Children’s Study Vanguard pilot phase (2009–2014) and included 300 women who were ≥18 years old and provided birth data and saliva samples. The maternal secretor status phenotype was determined by quantifying H-antigen in saliva using enzyme-linked immunoassay. Mothers were stratified by secretor status and multivariable analysis estimated adjusted associations with preterm delivery. Maternal lack of H-antigen production was an independent risk factor for preterm delivery after adjusting for known confounders (aOR 4.53; 95% CI: 1.74, 11.81; P = 0.002). Maternal H-antigen may be a biomarker identifying women at-risk for preterm delivery. Prospective cohort studies validating these findings are needed.