Screening for bacterial vaginosis and cervicitis aimed at preventing premature delivery.
OBJECTIVE
We performed screening and treatment of bacterial vaginosis and cervicitis during pregnancy for prevention of premature delivery. The incidence and the etiology of lower genital tract infections and premature delivery were examined to elucidate the effectiveness and problems of this trial.


METHODS
Three hundred sixty-five pregnant women who attended the obstetrical outpatient clinic in our hospital were included as subjects. The screening was done at prenatal-care visits around the 10th, 20th, and 30th gestational weeks.


RESULTS
Fifty-eight women were diagnosed as bacterial vaginosis and 54 women were successfully treated. Thirty-five women were diagnosed as cervicitis and all were cured. Nine women (2.5%) delivered before the 37th gestational week and 1 women delivered before the 35th gestational week because of cervical incompetence.


CONCLUSIONS
The treatment of bacterial vaginosis and cervicitis may prevent microbes in the lower genital tract from penetrating the intrauterine cavity and thereby reduce the incidence of premature delivery.
Begum
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Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Sagawa
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Fujimoto
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010460:Peptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011247:Pregnancy; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014463:Ultrasonography; D002581:Uterine Cervical Incompetence / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy