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Vaginal Microbiome and Preterm Birth in Pregnant Women From India

Abhishek Singh1,2, Karisma Chhabria2, Neerja Vashist2

  • 1Department of Microbiology, MGM Institute of Health Sciences, Navi Mumbai, India.

The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research
|July 1, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This study found no significant changes in the vaginal microbiome linked to preterm birth (PTB) in Indian women at delivery. Vaginal dysbiosis may not be a primary cause of PTB in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Obstetrics
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Preterm birth (PTB) significantly contributes to neonatal morbidity and mortality globally.
  • India bears a substantial burden of PTB, accounting for approximately 27% of global cases.
  • The role of the vaginal microbiome in PTB is recognized but underexplored in the Indian population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between the vaginal microbiome composition and PTB in Indian women.
  • To analyze microbial community differences at the time of delivery between women delivering at term and preterm.

Main Methods:

  • Vaginal swabs were collected from 72 women (31 term, 41 preterm) at delivery in Western India.
  • 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V3-V4 region) was performed to analyze microbial DNA.
  • Bioinformatics pipelines assessed community composition, alpha/beta diversity, and differential taxonomic abundance.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in alpha or beta diversity were observed between term and preterm groups.
  • Principal coordinate and clustering analyses did not show distinct group segregation.
  • While individual Lactobacillus species abundances were similar, a modest difference in Streptococcus relative abundance was noted after adjustment.

Conclusions:

  • The study did not identify major vaginal microbiome shifts associated with PTB in this Indian cohort.
  • Vaginal dysbiosis at delivery may not be a principal driver of PTB in this population.
  • Larger, longitudinal, and diverse studies are needed to clarify the microbiome's role in PTB risk.
Abstract

Keywords:
bacteriadysbiosislactobacillusprematurestreptococcus

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