Abstract: Preterm labor is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality of pregnancies. The etiology of preterm labor and delivery is multiple, the onset of chorioamnionitis caused by a variety of microorganisms is closely associated with the development of infection-related preterm labor. However, the underlying pathogenesis mechanism is not yet completely clear. Recent study found that there are many changes in the local micro-environment when chorioamnionitis placental, in which, cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）, γ-interferon（IFN-γ）, and other factors, like nitric oxide（NO）and its metabolites，whose related changes are associated with trophoblast cell apoptosis, while the apoptosis of trophoblast cells through a variety of ways, change the occurrence of infection-related preterm labor, By the time the study of trophoblast apoptosis is expected to offer new ideas and methods for the clinical prevention and treatment of prematurity when chorioamnionitis happen.

Key words: Chorioamnionitis, Apoptosis, Preterm labor, Cytokines