Changes in the number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and concentrations of IL-8 and granulocyte elastase in the vaginas of normal pregnant women.
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.
Yamada
Tetsuo
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical School, Minamikawachimachi, Tochigi, Japan. yamada88@jichi.ac.jp
Minakami
Hisanori
H
Matsubara
Shigeki
S
Kohmura
Yasuhiro
Y
Aoya
Toshio
T
Sato
Ikuo
I
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*
D016209:Interleukin-8; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase