Maternal Vaginal Ureaplasma spp. Colonization in Early Pregnancy Is Associated with Adverse Short- and Long-Term Outcome of Very Preterm Infants.

Judith Rittenschober-Böhm,Birgit Pimpel,Stefan M Schulz,Angelika Berger,Karin Pichler,Armin Witt,Thomas Waldhoer,Katharina Goeral,Renate Fuiko,Tanja Habermüller

doi:10.3390/children8040276

Judith Rittenschober-Böhm, Birgit Pimpel + Show 8 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/children8040276

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Abstract

Vaginal colonization with Ureaplasma (U.) spp. has been shown to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcome; however, data on neonatal outcome are scarce. The aim of the study was to investigate whether maternal vaginal colonization with U. spp. in early pregnancy represents a risk factor for adverse short- or long-term outcome of preterm infants. Previously, 4330 pregnant women were enrolled in an observational multicenter study, analyzing the association between vaginal U. spp. colonization and spontaneous preterm birth. U. spp. colonization was diagnosed via PCR analysis from vaginal swabs. For this study, data on short-term outcome were collected from medical records and long-term outcome was examined via Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 24 months adjusted age. Two-hundred-and-thirty-eight children were born <33 weeks gestational age. After exclusion due to asphyxia, malformations, and lost-to-follow-up, data on short-term and long-term outcome were available from 222 and 92 infants, respectively. Results show a significant association between vaginal U. spp. colonization and severe intraventricular hemorrhage (10.4% vs. 2.6%, p = 0.03), retinopathy of prematurity (21.7% vs. 10.3%, p = 0.03), and adverse psychomotor outcome (24.3% vs. 1.8%, OR 13.154, 95%CI 1.6,110.2, p = 0.005). The data suggest an association between vaginal U. spp. colonization in early pregnancy and adverse short- and long-term outcome of very preterm infants.

Highlights

Ureaplasma (U.) spp. are the most common bacteria isolated from the amniotic cavity of women with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes [1,2,3]
In order to further evaluate the clinical significance of U. spp. colonization in early pregnancy, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether first-trimester vaginal colonization with U. spp. is associated with an adverse short- or long-term outcome of preterm infants born at
The aim of the study was to screen a large cohort of pregnant women for vaginal U. spp. colonization during routine nuchal translucency screening in order to investigate a potential association between vaginal U. spp. colonization in early pregnancy and an adverse pregnancy outcome

Summary

Introduction

Ureaplasma (U.) spp. are the most common bacteria isolated from the amniotic cavity of women with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM) [1,2,3]. The most frequent pathway of bacteria invading the intrauterine department is an ascending infection from the vagina [4]. A vaginal swab can be used as a screening method of. Colonization rates of 40–80% in asymptomatic sexually active women, the clinical significance of vaginal. Colonization in pregnancy remains uncertain [5,6,7]. In a previous multicenter study, we could demonstrate a significant association between vaginal U. spp. Colonization in early pregnancy and an increased risk for spontaneous preterm birth.

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