Cervical Ureaplasma urealyticum colonization might be associated with increased incidence of preterm delivery in pregnant women without prophlogistic microorganisms on routine examination.
OBJECTIVE
We examined whether the detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum DNA in the cervix is associated with preterm labor and delivery.


METHODS
Eighty-two women (23 preterm labor cases and 59 controls) with no evidence of prophlogistic microorganisms on routine microbiologic examination were enrolled for this study. U. urealyticum colonization was examined using polymerase chain reaction of cervical swabs.


RESULTS
The positivity rate of U. urealyticum DNA in preterm labor cases was significantly higher than that in the controls (87.0%vs 45.8%, P=0.0007). Women in the U. urealyticum-positive group more frequently delivered preterm compared with those in the negative group (36.2%vs 11.4%, P=0.0111). In five cases that delivered preterm with histologically confirmed chorioamnionitis, U. urealyticum DNA was detected in the placenta.


CONCLUSIONS
Cervical U. urealyticum colonization might be associated with preterm labor and delivery.
Mitsunari
Masahiro
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University School of Medicine, Yonago, Japan. mitsunar@grape.med.tottori-u.ac.jp
Yoshida
Souichi
S
Deura
Imari
I
Horie
Sayako
S
Tsukihara
Satoru
S
Harada
Tasuku
T
Irie
Takashi
T
Terakawa
Naoki
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000382:microbiology; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D016990:Ureaplasma urealyticum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial