Mon, Aug 3, 2009 (HealthDay News) — Blocking a key protein may help prevent premature labor, say researchers at Imperial College London in Britain.

They found that when Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) detects bacterial infection in pregnant women, it triggers inflammation, which appears to induce premature birth, BBC News reported.

But the researchers said they found a way to turn off this reaction.

“We are excited about the findings of this research, as we have now discovered how to block a key pathway which leads to premature birth,” lead researcher Professor Philip Bennett told BBC News. “Although more research needs to be done, we believe this is a step forward in the development of treatments to prevent premature birth.”

Premature labor is the major cause of death and disability among babies.

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