THE ASSOCIATION OF BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS WITH PUERPERAL SEPSIS AND LOW BIRTH WEIGHT NEONATES AMONG WOMEN WITH PRETERM LABOUR

Abstract

Bacterial Vaginosis is a polymicrobial condition characterized by an altered vaginal flora where there is gross decrease in the Lactobacilli especially hydrogen peroxide producing strains and an excessive growth of anaerobes. Here mixed predominantly anaerobic flora replaces the normal Lactobacilli dominated flora. There is an increase in anaerobes and a decrease in the vaginal lactic acid content associated with an increase in vaginal pH > 4.5. The concentration of bacteria increases 100 to 1000-fold. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among the patients admitted with preterm labour. Based on the proportion of bacterial vaginosis as 30% with a relative precision of 20% at 95% confidence level, the sample size was estimated to be 224 preterm pregnant women. The presence of bacterial vaginosis was significantly more among the normal baby weight group (p=0.001). The presence of puerperal sepsis was significantly more among those with bacterial vaginosis than those without bacterial vaginosis (p=0.002).