| 1. |
- Platz-Christensen, Jens Jörgen, et al.
(author)
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A longitudinal follow-up of bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy.
- 1993
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In: Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 0001-6349 .- 1600-0412. ; 72:2, s. 99-102
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been considered by many investigators to be a risk factor for preterm labor. We have followed vaginal pH and the persistence of clue cells in Papanicolaou stained smears in 119 pregnant women during the course of pregnancy. Of 19 patients with clue cells in their smears during the first trimester, 11 (58%) still had clue cells at the second visit during the third trimester. Of the 100 patients without clue cells during their first trimester, none exhibited clue cells during the third trimester. If the persistence of clue cells is truly a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome, screening in the first trimester would identify a risk group of 15%. This risk group diminishes to 9% at the time of the third trimester. Vaginal pH > 4.5 had a recovery sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 83%. If clue cells can be considered as the identifying standard for bacterial vaginosis, the sensitivity and specificity of pH is 89% and 94%, respectively. The establishment of the diagnosis of BV during pregnancy and, in some cases, the treatment of the condition may be important as routine procedures in the antenatal center.
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| 2. |
- Platz-Christensen, Jens Jörgen, et al.
(author)
-
Endotoxin and interleukin-1 alpha in the cervical mucus and vaginal fluid of pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis.
- 1993
-
In: American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-9378. ; 169:5, s. 1161-6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of our study was to determine the concentrations of endotoxin and interleukin-1 alpha in the cervical mucus and vaginal fluid of pregnant women who either did or did not have bacterial vaginosis.Samples of cervical mucus and vaginal fluid were collected from women in early pregnancy who had signs of bacterial vaginosis and from healthy control subjects. The samples were analyzed for the concentrations of endotoxin and interleukin-1 alpha. In addition, wet mounts were examined for signs of inflammation indicated by increased numbers of leukocytes.Both endotoxin and interleukin-1 alpha occurred in much higher concentrations (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0002) in both the cervical mucus and the vaginal fluid of women with signs of bacterial vaginosis than they did in healthy control subjects. A correlation was found between the interleukin-1 alpha concentrations in the vaginal fluid and the number of leukocytes as judged by a semi-quantitative evaluation of wet mounts (p = 0.0365). The concentrations of endotoxin correlated with those of interleukin-1 alpha in both fluids (vaginal fluid, p < 0.01; cervical mucus, p < 0.01).Our study shows that concentrations of endotoxin and interleukin-1 alpha in cervical mucus and vaginal fluid of women in early pregnancy who have bacterial vaginosis are significantly higher than the corresponding levels in control subjects.
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