title: Vaginal infections, cervical ripening and preterm delivery.
abstract: A prospective study is presented which addresses the relative effect of cervicovaginal infection and precocious maturation of the uterine cervix on preterm delivery. From April 1981 through December 1983, a total of 5758 pregnant women were checked by means of a vaginal examination at every prenatal visit and a research for bacterial cervicovaginal infection whenever abnormal signs were observed. The study reveals that vaginal infection has no measurable effect when observed during the second trimester of pregnancy, and a small effect during the third trimester. This means that infection of the vagina or/and the cervix may be demonstrated as a risk factor only when the cervix is short before 28 weeks or open before 37 weeks.
authors.affiliation: University of Oklahoma Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, OK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Pons
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiesa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bouyer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papiernik
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D014627:Vaginitis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*