Clinical characteristics of vaginal discharge in bacterial vaginosis diagnosed by Nugent's criteria.
OBJECTIVE
To determine which clinical signs have an important contribution in bacterial vaginosis (BV) diagnosed by Nugent's criteria.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of 58 women undergoing vaginal examination at Hayashi women's clinic, Hyogo Prefecture. Characteristics of vaginal discharge (color, amount, odor, and pH level) and the number of clue cells were compared among normal, intermediate, and BV groups. BV was diagnosed by using Nugent's criteria.


RESULTS
The incidence of BV in our study population was 25.9%. Compared to the non-BV group, women in the BV group were found more often to have yellowish color and a moderate amount of discharge (66.67% vs 33.33%, NS; 55.56% vs 44.44%, NS), odorous discharge (100% vs 0%, p < 0.05) and furthermore, pH level and the number of clue cells were significantly higher.


CONCLUSIONS
Odor, pH level and the number of clue cells in the vaginal discharge were helpful clinical signs for early detection of BV diagnosed by Nugent's criteria.
Hapsari
E D
ED
Department of Maternity Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
Hayashi
M
M
Matsuo
H
H
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006194:Gardnerella vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009812:Odorants; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D019522:Vaginal Discharge / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology