Efficacy and tolerability of a local acting antiseptic agent in the treatment of vaginal dysbiosis during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
In the present study, the efficacy and tolerability of the local acting antiseptic octenidine hydrochloride/phenoxyethanol (OHP) for the treatment of vaginal dysbiosis (VD) and/or bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnancy and its potential influence on preterm births and low-weight newborns were examined.


METHODS
One-hundred nine pregnant women with increased pH values (>4.5) and BV characteristic symptoms were treated with OHP for 7 days and a second time in case of a recurrent pH increase. pH values were continuously controlled by women's self-measurements.


RESULTS
pH decreased to ≤ 4.5 in 67.9% of patients. Seven of 12 women (58.3%) treated again with OHP due to a recurrent pH increase finally reached the pH target (pH ≤ 4.5). No preterm birth occurred in the OHP group; no newborn had a birth weight <2,000 g. Rates of preterm births and low-weight newborns were comparable between OHP group and pregnant women without VD/BV.


CONCLUSIONS
OHP is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of VD/BV also in pregnancy without side effects and the occurrence of resistances. It could be an additional therapeutic option in the prevention of the multifactorial disease pattern 'preterm birth' with all their consequences.
Briese
Volker
V
Gynaecological University Hospital and Polyclinic, Clinical Centre Südstadt Rostock, Südring 81, 18059 Rostock, Germany. volker.briese@kliniksued-rostock.de
Neumann
Gerd
G
Waldschläger
Juliane
J
May
Theodor W
TW
Siebert
Jörg
J
Gerber
Bernd
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007097:Imines; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000382:microbiology; D011725:Pyridines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D007097:Imines; D011725:Pyridines; C005398:phenoxyethanol; C034213:octenidine