Prevalence of Bacterial Vaginosis in Cases of High Risk for Preterm Labor

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this work was to screen the asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV) in cases of high-risk preterm labor (PTL). Detection of the cervical changes and obstetric outcome in relation to asymptomatic BV.Patients and Methods: This Observational cohort work was carried out on 100 pregnant women with high risk for PTL, previous PTL with gestational age ≥ 20 - ≤ 32 weeks. Cases were divided into two groups; group A (-ve BV 87 cases): with negative screening, group B (+ve BV 13 case): with positive screening.Results: Women with vaginal discharge with a pH greater than 4.5, fishy amine odor, Clue cells on saline wet mount, lower abdominal pain, cervical length <25 mm, women with PTL were significantly higher in group B. vaginal flora abnormality, gestational age at delivery, neonates’ birth wight, neonatal infection, babies needed neonatal intensive care unit transfer, neonatal deaths and total PTL showed statistically significant different between groups. There was a statistically highly significant negative correlation between cervical length, gestational age at delivery and vaginal smear pH as well as Nugent score.Conclusion: There was a significant negative correlation between cervical length in mm, gestational age at delivery and vaginal smear pH as well as vaginal discharge Nugent score. The percentage ofthenen having PTL, and neonatal complications were higher in the cases that were proved to be positive asymptomatic BV, than the cases proved to be negative.