ASSESSING THE CORRELATION OF BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS TO LOW BIRTH-WEIGHT NEONATES AND PUERPERAL SEPSIS IN FEMALES WITH PRETERM LABOR.

Background: Bacterial vaginosis is a condition with altered vaginal flora with gross hydrogen peroxide-producing Lactobacilli strains decreasing with excessive anaerobe growth. Also, a decrease in vaginal lactic acid content is seen with increased vaginal pH to >4.5 and increased bacterial counts to 100-1000 folds. Aim: The present study was aimed at assessing the correlation between bacterial vaginosis to low birth-weight neonates and puerperal sepsis in females with preterm labor. Methods: The study assessed 450 females admitted to the institute with pre-term labor. In all the subjects demographic data were recorded followed by obstetric history recording including gestational age, parity, and birth weight of the infants. The subjects were then divided into two groups: bacterial vaginosis and no bacterial vaginosis. The association of birth weight to bacterial vaginosis and of bacterial vaginosis to puerperal sepsis was assessed and compared. Results: The study results showed a significantly higher presence of bacterial vaginosis in subjects with normal baby weight group with p=0.001. A significantly higher presence of puerperal sepsis was seen in subjects with bacterial vaginosis compared to the subjects with no bacterial vaginosis with p=0.002. Conclusions: The present study, considering its limitations, concludes that bacterial vaginosis has a high prevalence in subjects with normal baby weight compared to small or large gestational age subjects. The study also concludes that puerperal sepsis has a significantly higher prevalence in subjects with bacterial vaginosis compared to subjects without bacterial vaginosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]