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Characteristics and Pregnancy Outcomes of Pregnant Women Asymptomatic for Bacterial Vaginosis

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An Erratum to this article was published on 22 November 2007

Abstract

Study Design

To determine the clinical, behavioral or demographic factors associated with asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV) and to examine if women with asymptomatic BV had a higher risk of a variety of pregnancy outcomes compared to symptomatic BV positive women. For this study, 1916 pregnant women who were 12 weeks’ gestation or less were enrolled. Interviewers facilitated vaginal swab collection for BV assessment, and completed the baseline questionnaire. BV was identified by Gram stain.

Results

Forty percent of pregnant women screened positive for BV and a substantial proportion of BV positive pregnant women were asymptomatic (67%). Asymptomatic BV positive women reported lower stress scores (RR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.67–0.89), slightly more prior STD’s (RR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.07), and a higher quantity of Mobiluncus (RR = 1.04 95% CI: 1.01–1.07) compared to symptomatic BV positive women. We did not find an increase in adverse pregnancy outcomes related to BV symptomatology.

Conclusion

Among first trimester pregnant women, only stress, STD history, and quantity of Mobiluncus were associated with symptom reports among BV positive pregnant women. We also found that women with asymptomatic BV did not have an increased risk of a variety of adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to symptomatic BV positive women.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Sara Kietzman, Lena Flowers and Jill Wadlin.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health College of Health Professions, Temple University, 1700 North Broad Street – Room 304F, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA

    Deborah B. Nelson

  2. Department of Ob/Gyn School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA

    Deborah B. Nelson

  3. Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA

    Scarlett Bellamy, Althea Ruffin & Lynne Allen-Taylor

  4. Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

    Irving Nachamkin

  5. Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA

    Frank K. Friedenberg

Authors
  1. Deborah B. Nelson
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  2. Scarlett Bellamy
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  3. Irving Nachamkin
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  4. Althea Ruffin
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Correspondence to Deborah B. Nelson.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10995-007-0306-0

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Nelson, D.B., Bellamy, S., Nachamkin, I. et al. Characteristics and Pregnancy Outcomes of Pregnant Women Asymptomatic for Bacterial Vaginosis. Matern Child Health J 12, 216–222 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-007-0239-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-007-0239-7

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