title: Prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium in early pregnancy and relationship between its presence and pregnancy outcome.
abstract: Mycoplasma genitalium is associated with cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease but little is known about its role in pregnancy. We investigated the prevalence of M. genitalium by polymerase chain reaction assay on urine specimens from 1216 pregnant women (mean age 31years) presenting before 10 weeks of gestation in 32 general practices. The prevalence of M. genitalium was 0.7% (6/915, 95% CI 0.1-1.2). It was more common in women aged < 20 years, women of Afro-Caribbean or black African ethnic origin, women in social classes 3-5 and single women. Only one woman with M. genitalium infection miscarried, and none of those followed up to term had a preterm birth, although the numbers were small. The low prevalence of M. genitalium infection suggests it is unlikely to be an important risk factor in adverse pregnancy outcome in healthy women in the community.
authors.affiliation: Community Health Sciences, St George's Hospital Medical School, London SW17 ORE, UK.
authors.forename: Pippa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oakeshott
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hay
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taylor-Robinson
authors.forename: Sima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hay
authors.forename: Birthe
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dohn
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kerry
authors.forename: Jorgen S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D045704:Mycoplasma genitalium; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015995:Prevalence; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology