Abstract

IntroductionBacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common cause of vaginal discharge in women of child bearing age. Bacterial vaginosis has emerged as a global health issue due to the adverse outcome in pregnancy and in the puerperium. The study determined the prevalence of BV and outcome of delivery among pregnant women.MethodsSocio-demographic data and vaginal swab samples were obtained from 362 consecutive pregnant women with abnormal vaginal discharge attending antenatal clinic in Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. Data were analysed using SPSS statistical software 21 and association between variables was compared using Chi square.ResultsThe prevalence of BV among pregnant women with abnormal vaginal discharge in this study was 16.6%. Age group 25-34yrs, multiparity and higher education were significantly associated with BV, p < 0.05. Symptoms such as vulvar itching, dyspareunia, lower abdominal pains and characteristic of vaginal discharge such as colour and consistency were significantly associated with BV, p < 0.05. Women with bacterial vaginosis significantly had prelabour rupture of fetal membrane and their babies were born prematurely with low birth weight and Apgar score of less than 5 at one minute, p < 0.05. However, there was no difference statistically in rate of admission into special care baby unit among the women, p > 0.05.ConclusionThe findings of this study suggest that there should be screening for BV in pregnant women presenting with abnormal vaginal discharge so that they could be treated accordingly. This will mitigate the complications arising from bacterial vaginosis.

Highlights

  • In healthy women, the vaginal environment is a balanced ecosystem characterized by the presence of various species of Lactobacillus

  • Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a poly-microbial syndrome characterized by the loss of normal vaginal flora, predominantly hydrogen peroxide producing Lactobacillus spp., and the increase in the number and species of other bacteria in vaginal fluid

  • The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis among non-pregnant women ranges from 15-30% [5,6,7,8] and in pregnancy, it ranges between 11-16% in developed countries [6, 7], 21-29% in Kenya and South Africa [9, 10] while in Nigeria, a prevalence rate of 17%, 17.3% and 25% have been reported from separate studies done in the south-east, north-east and south-west Nigeria respectively [11,12,13]

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Summary

Introduction

The vaginal environment is a balanced ecosystem characterized by the presence of various species of Lactobacillus. These bacteria inhibit the growth of other microorganisms through various mechanisms including production of organic acids such as lactic acid and other antimicrobial substances (hydrogen peroxide and bacteriocins), competition for mannose and glycoprotein receptors and adhesion to the epithelium. The depletion of these vaginal Lactobacilli is known to be associated with bacterial vaginosis [1, 2]. This study examined vaginal discharge from pregnant women attending the prenatal booking clinic of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, south-western Nigeria to determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and outcomes of delivery among the women

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