Three Interacting Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and the Risk of Preterm Birth in Black Families

• Mother and Father, if named on the birth certificate application, are English speaking.
• If mother and Father are married, husband is the man identified as the father on the birth certificate application.
• Documentation of Informed Consent for Mother and newborn. Father named on the birth certificate application must consent for newborn to participate.
• Mother's age (and Father if named on the birth certificate application) is 18 years of age or older.
• Infant is a singleton, inborn newborn.
• Newborn gestational age assessment documented in the health record between 23 weeks 0/7 days and 36 weeks 6/7 days.
• Newborn gestational age assessment documented in the health record > 37 weeks and 0/7 days.
• Mother identifies herself as Black or African American on the birth certificate application.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Mother (or Father identified on the birth certificate application) refuses to sign informed consent.
• Mother (or Father identified on the birth certificate application) does not speak English.
• Father, identified on the birth certificate application, objects to infant's participation.
• Husband is not the father named on the birth certificate application.
• Mother (or Father, if named on the birth certificate application) is less than 18 years of age.
• Mother fails to identify her ethnic group as Black or African American on the birth certificate application.
• Mother is cognitively impaired as a result of receiving narcotic analgesia within four hours of the time the research is explained, consent explained, or the interview is conducted.
• Mother is documented to be cognitively impaired by her physician in the medical record.
• Father appears to be cognitively impaired at the time the research is explained, consent explained, or the interview is conducted.
• Mother or infant has a history of blood transfusion in the last six months.
• Mother had assisted reproduction.
• Maternal surgical procedures during pregnancy, to include cerclage.
• Mother has uterine abnormalities.
• History of trauma prior to the onset of labor.
• Multiple gestation.
• Infant has major anomalies (cyanotic congenital heart disease, gastroschisis, omphalocele, diaphragmatic hernia or other major gastrointestinal anomalies, major neurological injury or anomaly, or multiple congenital anomalies).
• Mother has major anomalies (cyanotic congenital heart disease, gastroschisis, omphalocele, diaphragmatic hernia or other major gastrointestinal anomalies, major neurological injury or anomaly, or multiple congenital anomalies).
• Infant has documented chromosomal anomalies.
• Mother has documented chromosomal anomalies.