Given that we previously demonstrated a significant difference in serum decorin and biglycan concentrations in asymptomatic women who went on to develop PPROM compared with those in matched controls who delivered at term, as a next step, we tested whether this pattern is similar in spontaneous preterm labor without rupture of membranes in order to ascertain whether the reported results were related to preterm birth in general or PPROM specifically. This evidence concerns the gene DCN and preterm premature rupture of the membranes.