title: Vaginitis, cervicitis, and cervical length in pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the possible association among vaginitis, cervicitis, and cervical length in pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primigravid volunteers, between 20 and 36 weeks' gestation (n = 210), were examined. Vaginitis was diagnosed by pH determination and wet mount smear, cervicitis was diagnosed by cervicography, and cervical length was diagnosed by vaginal ultrasonographic measurement. Patients with both vaginitis and cervicitis (n = 70) were compared with those without any trace of infection (n = 23). The remainder (n = 117) had variable degrees of infection and were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean gestational age was 28.3 weeks. No significant association was found among vaginitis, cervicitis, and cervical length. In the infection group (n = 70), however, a significant association between an elevated vaginal pH (>5) and a shortened cervical length (r = 0.29) was noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant association exists among vaginitis, cervicitis, and cervical length, but in patients with clinical signs of infection, an elevated pH appears to be associated with a decreased cervical length.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Boomgaard
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Rensburg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Den Berg
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Niemand
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Bam
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Cronjé
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D014627:Vaginitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology