Workalemahu T, et al. - Researchers sought to replicate the findings from previous genome-wide and candidate gene association studies which indicate a link between DNA variants (implicated in mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative phosphorylation) and abruptio placentae. For this work, participants (507 abruptio placentae cases and 1,090 controls) of the Placental Abruption Genetic Epidemiology (PAGE) study were studied. Outcomes supported previous findings and provided robust evidence for DNA variants encoding for genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative phosphorylation pathways, conferring risk for abruptio placentae. Results highlight the mechanisms, implicating DNA variants encoding for proteins in mitochondrial function that are responsible for abruptio placentae risk. Improved biological understanding of maternal mitochondrial biogenesis/oxidative phosphorylation pathways as well as identification of women who would be at high risk for AP may enhance the therapeutic efforts to reduce risk of AP.