Bacterial vaginosis and preterm delivery: an open question

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in a population of Italian pregnant women and to study its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes, particularly preterm delivery. STUDY DESIGN: After giving informed consent, 598 women were consecutively enrolled at their first prenatal visit (13-18 weeks of gestation). The presence of bacterial vaginosis was assessed by Gram's method at 13-18 weeks of gestation (early bacterial vaginosis) and at 28-32 weeks of gestation (late bacterial vaginosis). Univariate and multiple logistic regression models of analysis were used to assess the statistical significance of the data. RESULTS: Preterm delivery occurred in 14.7% of pregnant women positivefor bacterial vaginosis at theirfirst prenatal visit and in 6.9% of healthy women (OR 1.6, CI 1.07-2.51). In patients with bacterial vaginosis, preterm delivery occurred more often in the 36th week of gestation (78.6%). CONCLUSION: The presence of bacterial vaginosis at an early gestational age is associated with preterm delivery, although in the study population the condition did not seem to be related to great prematurity.