Bacterial vaginosis in patients with idiopathic preterm labor

Objectives: To find the incidence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in idiopathic preterm labor and check its association with an adverse outcome in patients of idiopathic preterm labor. Methods: This is a comparative study, with the study group comprising 75 pregnant women admitted with preterm labor, without any obvious cause i.e. idiopathic preterm labor and a control group consisting of 75 pregnant women carrying singleton pregnancy to term. Both the controls and subjects were tested for BV by gram stained vaginal smear. All patients were followed till delivery. Results: Significantly more number of women in the study group tested positive for BV on gram stain of vaginal discharge as compared to the control group (18.7% vs 80%). In the study group, an adverse outcome in the form of preterm delivery (<37 weeks) was noted in 92.9% women testing positive for BV and only in 49.3% of the women testing negative for BV. Also, women with BV were more likely to deliver before 34 weeks (57.1% vs 14.8%). Conclusions: BV infection is commonly seen in patients of idiopathic preterm labor. Presence of BV in women admitted with idiopathic preterm labor is associated with preterm delivery. It is even more strongly associated with very preterm delivery (i.e. < 34 weeks).