Towards a new taxonomy of preterm birth

Abstract

Disease categories traditionally reflect a historical clustering of clinical phenotypes based on biologic and nonbiologic features. Multiomics approaches have striven to identify signatures to develop individualized categorizations through tests and/or therapies for 'personalized' medicine. Precision health classifies clinical syndromes into endotype clusters based on novel technological advancements, which can reveal insights into the etiologies of phenotypical syndromes. A new taxonomy of preterm birth should be considered in this context, as not all preterm infants of similar gestational ages are the same because most have different biologic vulnerabilities and hence different health trajectories. Even the choice of interventions may affect observed clinical conditions. Thus, a new taxonomy of prematurity would help to advance the field of neonatology, but also obstetrics and perinatology by adopting anticipatory and more targeted approaches to the care of preterm infants with the intent of preventing and treating some of the most common newborn pathologic conditions.