Bacterial vaginosis in early pregnancy may predispose for preterm birth and postpartum endometritis.

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been reported to be associated with spontaneous preterm delivery and infectious morbidity after birth in non-Swedish populations. Our intention was to investigate the situation in a Swedish population.

Methods: In this cohort study, 924 patients were enrolled consecutively.

Prostaglandin E and F2 alpha concentration in the cervical mucus and mechanism of cervical ripening.

Objective: To study the mechanism of cervical ripening by determination of prostaglandin E (PGE) and F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) concentrations in cervical mucus during the course of pregnancy.

Study Design: Cervical mucus was collected from 99 pregnant women attending the mother care unit of the department. Women with sexual intercourse within the last 24 hours before sampling and subjects with bacterial vaginosis were analysed separately.

A longitudinal follow-up of bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been considered by many investigators to be a risk factor for preterm labor. We have followed vaginal pH and the persistence of clue cells in Papanicolaou stained smears in 119 pregnant women during the course of pregnancy. Of 19 patients with clue cells in their smears during the first trimester, 11 (58%) still had clue cells at the second visit during the third trimester.