[Association between genital mycoplasmas and risk of preterm delivery]

Małgorzata Wasiela1, Zbigniew Krzemiński, Wojciech Hanke

  • 1Zakład Mikrobiologii Lekarskiej, Katedra Mikrobiologii, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lodzi.

Medycyna Wieku Rozwojowego
|November 13, 2004
PubMed

The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of maternal colonisation by genital mycoplasmas during pregnancy and to assess its association with preterm delivery. The cervical swabs of 179 pregnant women between 8 and 16 week of gestation were cultured for Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Clinical details and perinatal outcomes were documented. Of a total of 179 women enrolled, 68 (38.0%) had positive cervical culture for genital mycoplasmas; 30 (16.7%) for M. hominis and 38 (21.3%) for U. urealyticum. Preterm delivery occurred in 21 (11.7%) women. Genital mycoplasmas were found more frequently in group with preterm delivery as compare to women who delivered at term (p = 0.05) and its presence at lower genital tract at early pregnancy was a risk factor of preterm delivery. Early pregnancy screening for genital mycoplasmas and following treatment may reduce the rate of preterm deliveries.

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