title: Detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum in second-trimester amniotic fluid by polymerase chain reaction correlates with subsequent preterm labor and delivery.
abstract: Ureaplasma urealyticum is the microorganism most frequently isolated from the amniotic fluid of women in preterm labor. The relationship between intra-amniotic U. urealyticum in healthy second-trimester pregnant women and subsequent pregnancy outcome was investigated. Transabdominal amniotic fluid obtained from 254 asymptomatic women at 15-17 weeks' gestation were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). U. urealyticum was identified in 29 subjects (11.4%). A subsequent preterm labor occurred in 17 U. urealyticum-positive women (58.6%), compared with 10 (4.4%) U. urealyticum-negative women (P<.0001). Preterm birth was documented in 7 (24.1%) U. urealyticum-positive women compared with only 1 U. urealyticum-negative woman (0.4%) (P<.0001). U. urealyticum-positive women also had a higher prevalence of preterm labor in a prior pregnancy (20.7%) than did the negative women (2.7%; P=.0008). PCR testing of second-trimester amniotic fluid for U. urealyticum can identify women at risk for subsequent preterm labor and delivery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vial
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hohlfeld
authors.forename: Steven S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Witkin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D015995:Prevalence; D016869:Ureaplasma Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D016990:Ureaplasma urealyticum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*