Coitus and associated amniotic-fluid infections

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Neonatal Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• Amniotic fluid infections pose significant risks to both mother and infant.
• The potential role of maternal sexual activity in the etiology of these infections remains a subject of investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between maternal coitus and the incidence of amniotic fluid infections.
• To evaluate the impact of coitus-associated infections on neonatal outcomes, including mortality and morbidity.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 26,886 pregnancies.
• Retrospective assessment of maternal coitus frequency in the month preceding delivery.
• Comparison of infection rates and neonatal outcomes between groups with and without reported coitus.

Main Results:

• A higher frequency of amniotic fluid infections (156/1000 births) was observed in pregnancies with reported coitus compared to those without (117/1000 births).
• Infant mortality rates were significantly higher (11.0% vs. 2.4%) among infected infants born to mothers who reported coitus.
• Neonatal respiratory distress, low Apgar scores, and hyperbilirubinemia were approximately doubled in infants exposed to coitus during pregnancy.

Conclusions:

• Maternal coitus during the month before delivery was associated with an increased risk of amniotic fluid infections and adverse neonatal outcomes.
• The observed effects were more pronounced in preterm infants.
• While historical data (1959-1966) suggest a link, modern perinatal care may have reduced the contemporary relevance of these findings.