Understanding how biologic and social determinants affect disparities in preterm birth and outcomes of preterm infants in the NICU.

To understand the disparities in spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) and/or its outcomes, biologic and social determinants as well as healthcare practice (such as those in neonatal intensive care units) should be considered. Disparities in sPTB have been largely intractable and remain obscure in most cases, despite a myriad of identified risk factors for and causes of sPTB. We still do not know how they lead to the different outcomes at different gestational ages and if they are independent of NICU practices. Here we describe an integrated approach to study the interplay between the genome and exposome, which may drive biochemistry and physiology and lead to health disparities.