摘要：Objective:Th. purpose of th.s study was to identify wh.ch.biological processes may be involved in normal labor. Study design:Transcriptional profiles for ch.rioamniotic membranes (n = 24) and blood (n = 20)were generated from patients at term with.no labor (TNL) and in labor (TIL). Results:Expression of 197 transcripts (P ≤.02) differentiated TIL and TNL ch.rioamniotic membrane samples. Gene Ontology analysis indicated th.t TIL samples h.d increased expression of multiple ch.mokines and transcripts associated with.neutroph.l and monocyte recruitment. Microarray results were verified using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase ch.in reaction (RT-PCR) with.independent samples. Transcriptional profiles from blood RNA revealed no Gene Ontology category enrich.ent of discriminant probe sets. Conclusion:Labor induces gene expression ch.nges consistent with.localized inflammation,despite th. absence of h.stologically detectable inflammation.