Study of the state of the vaginal microbiota in women with risk and threat of preterm birth

Abstract

The objective: to compare the state of the vaginal microbiota in women with risk of preterm birth and threat of preterm birth.Materials and methods. The study involved 150 pregnant women. The inclusion criteria for the study were the presence of risk factors for preterm birth – I group (80 women) or the threat of preterm birth – II group (70 women). The control group consisted of 20 conditionally healthy pregnant women. Ultrasound (transvaginal) examination and assessment of the state of the vaginal microbiota were carried out at 17-21+6 weeks of gestation in pregnant women in the I group and during hospitalization with a confirmed threat of pregnancy interruption at 22-35+6 weeks in pregnant women in the II group. The exclusion criterion was premature rupture of membranes confirmed by the Actium Prom test. Observation of pregnant women of the studied cohort continued until the end of pregnancy.To assess the state of the vaginal microbiota, the determination of the pH of the vaginal content, molecular biological, and bacterioscopic methods were used.Results. Bacterial vaginosis and mixed vaginitis were diagnosed in patients with a threat of premature birth significantly more often than in healthy pregnant women and pregnant women in the I group, and, accordingly, there was a much smaller rate of pregnant women with the 1st degree of vaginal cleanliness among the patients with a threat of premature birth .The frequency of detection of anaerobic dysbiosis was the highest among pregnant women in the II group with the threat of premature birth (34.3 %) compared to the pregnant women in the I group (21.3 %). Aerobic dysbiosis (aerobic vaginitis) was diagnosed only in pregnant women with a threat of premature birth (11.4 %). In the presence of dysbiotic and inflammatory changes in the microbiota of the vagina, there is a high risk of premature birth – OR=2.962 (95% CI: 1.32–6.645), while for pregnant women in the risk group of premature birth it is OR=8.120 (95% CI: 2.149 –30.686), and for pregnant women with an existing threat of premature birth – OR=10.133 (95% CI: 3.149–32.604). Candida non.albicans was mainly found in the patients with recurrent episodes of vulvovaginal candidiasis before pregnancy.Conclusions. Anaerobic and mixed dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiota is one of the risk factors for spontaneous and threatening premature births, which requires the development of diagnostic and therapeutic measures to prevent premature termination of pregnancy.