Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis in Pregnant Women
Author Information
Author(s): J. Boris, T.B. Henriksen, U. Davidsen, N.J. Secher
Primary Institution: Aarhus University Hospital
Hypothesis
Can specific symptoms of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnancy help identify women at risk for preterm delivery?
Conclusion
Asymptomatic BV in pregnancy is common, and specific questions about discharge do not effectively identify women with BV.
Supporting Evidence
- The prevalence of BV was found to be 16% among the participants.
- Women with BV were more likely to be smokers compared to those without BV.
- More than one third of women with BV did not meet the criteria for BV at follow-up.
Takeaway
This study looked at pregnant women to see if certain symptoms could help find those with bacterial vaginosis, but many women with BV didn't show any symptoms.
Methodology
305 pregnant women were interviewed and examined for BV symptoms and followed up after three weeks.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported symptoms and the exclusion of women who had received antibiotics shortly before the study.
Limitations
The study's small sample size and the focus on women in the early third trimester may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of participants was 29 years, with 42.3% being smokers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
0.4-9.0
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