[FREQUENCY OF PRETERM BIRTH IN WOMEN WITH CERVICAL VAGINAL INFECTIONS.]

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Infectious Diseases in Pregnancy

Background:

• Premature birth (PB) affects 5-18% of global births, posing risks for neonatal mortality and long-term developmental issues.
• Intrauterine infections, often ascending from the genital tract, are implicated in up to 40% of spontaneous preterm births.
• Genital tract infections are more prevalent in women experiencing preterm birth at lower gestational ages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between cervical and vaginal infections (CVI) and spontaneous preterm birth.
• To determine if CVI prevalence is significantly higher in women who deliver prematurely compared to a control group.
• To highlight the need for effective CVI prevention and treatment during pregnancy to reduce PB risks.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study was conducted involving 70 pregnant women and their newborns.
• Participants were divided into a preterm birth group and a control group.
• Prevalence of CVI was compared between the two groups.

Main Results:

• The incidence of CVI in the preterm birth group was 37.14%.
• In the control group, the incidence of CVI was 17.14%.
• The study revealed more than a twofold increase in CVI incidence among women experiencing preterm birth.

Conclusions:

• Cervical and vaginal infections are significantly associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.
• Timely detection and appropriate therapeutic management of CVI during pregnancy are essential.
• Effective CVI management can potentially reduce the incidence of PB and associated neonatal infectious complications.