title: Changes in the number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and concentrations of IL-8 and granulocyte elastase in the vaginas of normal pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is unknown whether the number of vaginal polymorphonuclear leukocytes (vPMNs) of healthy pregnant women changes during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 23 women after 14.7 +/- 3.6 weeks, 37 women after 25.2 +/- 3.1 weeks, and 26 women after 32.9 +/- 2.0 weeks of gestation. Numbers of total vPMNs, viable vPMNs, dead vPMNs, percentage viability of vPMNs, and concentrations of IL-8 and elastase activity were determined in vaginal washings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The vPMNs, including viable and dead vPMNs, significantly increased with advancing gestation from 9.9 +/- 8.6 x 10(5) to 13.1 +/- 13.4 x 10(5), and to 27.1 +/- 26.6 x 10(5) (r=0.315, P < 0.01). Vaginal IL-8 significantly increased with advancing gestation. However, increases in vaginal elastase activity did not occur.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggested that an increase in vPMNs is an early event, and that the increase in vaginal elastase activity is a late event in relation to the ripening of the uterine cervix.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical School, Minamikawachimachi, Tochigi, Japan. yamada88@jichi.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Hisanori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Minakami
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kohmura
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoya
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000378:metabolism*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D014621:Vagina / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016209:Interleukin-8; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase