100 Most-Cited Publications on Spontaneous Preterm Birth: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Abstract

This bibliometric analysis systematically maps the global research landscape of spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) by examining the top 100 most-cited publications, identifying key contributors, prevailing trends, and emerging research frontiers. The top 100 most-cited SPTB articles were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric indicators-citations, authors, institutions, and journals-were extracted. Visualization and trend analysis were performed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package "bibliometrix". Publications spanned 1980-2021. The United States dominated (71% of articles). Leading institutions included the National Institutes of Health and Wayne State University. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology was the most prolific journal (28 articles; H-index: 28). Mean authors per article were 8.8, with 26% involving international collaboration. Six major research clusters emerged: clinical prevention and therapeutic interventions; epidemiology, psychosocial determinants, and pregnancy outcomes; infection, inflammation, and parturition pathways; maternal and obstetric characteristics; population-level adverse outcomes and oxidative stress; and cervical assessment, prediction, and procedural interventions. Within the citation-defined corpus, later-appearing terms included "short cervix," "expression," and "vaginal microbiome". SPTB research has evolved from clinical risk factors toward a multidisciplinary field integrating epidemiology, molecular biology, and translational medicine. Continued interdisciplinary collaboration and advanced molecular/data-driven approaches hold promise for future breakthroughs.