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Untreated cervical infections, chorioamnionitis and prematurity
G C Creatsas1, V M Charalambidis, E Zagotzidou
11st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Greece.
Objective:
To examine the relationship of endocervical pathogens and cervicitis with the development of chorioamnionitis, premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and prematurity.
Methods:
Three groups of pregnant women were included in the study: group A, controls with no evidence of cervicitis; group B, women with cervicitis due to pathogenic bacteria, who had been treated; and group C, women with untreated cervicitis who had not followed the prescribed therapy. Endocervical samples were cultured and aerobic and anaerobic bacteria isolated to examine the correlation of cervicitis with chorioamnionitis, PROM and prematurity.
Results:
There was a significantly higher incidence of prematurity in women with untreated cervicitis (group C). Mixed endocervical pathogens were most often involved (36.3%). A significantly higher number of endocervical pathogens were isolated in cases of chorioamnionitis (P < 0.001). Prematurity was seen in 39.6% of cases of chorioamnionitis. Prematurity was also more common in women with PROM (42.1%) than in those with intact membranes (11.8%).
Conclusion:
It is concluded that untreated endocervical infections are an etiological factor of chorioamnionitis, PROM and prematurity.