Principle findings of our studies are: (1) OS inducer, CSE, and proxy for infection, LPS, increased Nrf2 expression and IL-6 production by fetal membranes but decreased intracellular levels of PPARγ and HO-1; (2) SFN alone had no effect on Nrf2 expression; (3) Co-treatment of SFN with both CSE and LPS increased Nrf2, PPARγ, HO-1 and reduced IL-6; and (4) TRN had no detectible effects on fetal membrane Nrf2 expression or its downstream targets. Here, IL6 is linked to infection.