title: The role of the midwife when the pathology report states your pregnant client has bacterial vaginosis.
abstract: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been associated with preterm labour, preterm prelabour rupture of membranes and preterm birth. Organisms in high concentrations in BV may ascend from the vagina into the uterine cavity causing infection. Many factors may change the vaginal pH and microflora increasing the risk of BV, and midwives need to recognise signs and symptoms of BV. The vaginal pH is a useful tool for BV screening. Midwives may play a future role in pH testing, especially in pregnant women at high risk, for example, those with a previous preterm birth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Road, North Adelaide, SA, 5006. annellsm@wch.sa.gov.au
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Annells
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery / Q000379:methods*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control