[Self-collected vaginal swabs to diagnosis bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy: A pilot study].
OBJECTIVE
To study the feasibility of a screening for bacterial vaginosis by a self-collected vaginal swab during pregnancy. To measure bacterial vaginosis prevalence in a non-representative sample of women.


METHODS
A self-collected swab was suggested to 398 women who consulted between 15 and 33 weeks of gestation in three different centres. Gram stain evaluation using Nugent criteria was used for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis.


RESULTS
Three hundred and forty-one women agreed to take part in the study (86%). The quality of the swabs was satisfactory in 93% of the cases. Concerning the 15 non-interpretable slides, the cellular and bacterial density was too poor, owing to a poor quality or a low vaginal flora. Thirty-one women (9%) had a bacterial vaginosis--Nugent score included between 7 and 10--and this frequency did not vary according to the centre. Thirty-five women (10%) had an intermediate flora--score between 4 and 6--and this result varied from 2 to 12% depending on the centre, but the difference was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-collected swabs to detect bacterial vaginosis are well accepted by most of pregnant women, and the quality of the swabs seems to be satisfactory. In case vaginal flora is intermediate--between 4 and 6--the interpretation of the slides could be difficult.
Bresson
L
L
Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, hôpital Jeanne-de-Flandre, CHRU de Lille, université Lille-II, 2, avenue Oscar-Lambret, 59037 Lille cedex, France.
Massoni
S
S
Jailloux-Beaurain
C
C
Bissinger
M-C
MC
Subtil
D
D
Husson
M-O
MO
Courcol
R
R
Fruchart
A
A
D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology*; D012648:Self Care; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology