Premature Conclusion Leads to Serious Legal Consequences
1997
Understanding Bacterial Vaginosis in Pregnancy
Editorial
Author Information
Author(s): Sebastian Faro, MD, PhD
Conclusion
Current treatments for bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnant women do not prevent abortion or preterm birth.
Supporting Evidence
- Screening and treating all patients for BV has not been shown to improve perinatal outcomes.
- A patient was awarded $1.7 million due to a physician's failure to treat a positive Gardnerella culture.
Takeaway
Doctors need to tell pregnant women that having bacterial vaginosis doesn't mean they can easily fix it, and it doesn't prevent problems like early birth.
Limitations
No established treatment has been shown to prevent abortion or preterm birth.
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