About the Authors

Gemma C. Sharp

gemma.sharp@bristol.ac.uk

Current address: MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom

Affiliation Tommy’s Centre for Maternal and Fetal Health and Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

James L. Hutchinson

Affiliation Tommy’s Centre for Maternal and Fetal Health and Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Nanette Hibbert

Affiliation Tommy’s Centre for Maternal and Fetal Health and Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Tom C. Freeman

Affiliation Systems Immunology Group, Division of Genetics and Genomics, The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Philippa T. K. Saunders

Affiliation Tommy’s Centre for Maternal and Fetal Health and Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Jane E. Norman

Affiliation Tommy’s Centre for Maternal and Fetal Health and Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Competing Interests

The authors' have read the journal's policy and have the following competing interests: JEN has received research grants from charities and governmental bodies for studies on understanding parturition and prevention of preterm parturition. On behalf of the University of Edinburgh, JEN has done some consultancy work for Preglem, interested in agents to prevent preterm parturition. Additionally, JEN has received a lecture fee from an overseas academic institution for a lecture on preterm birth and is participating in a DSMB for a GSK study. The other authors have declared that no competing interests exist. This does not alter the authors' adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: GCS JEN PTKS JLH. Performed the experiments: GCS JLH NH. Analyzed the data: GCS TCF. Wrote the paper: GCS.