Mycoplasma hominis in mid-trimester amniotic fluid: relation to pregnancy outcome

Objective: The relationship between detection of Mycoplasma hominis in midtrimester amniotic fluid and subsequent pregnancy outcome was investigated. Study design: Amniotic fluids from 456 women of European background who underwent a transabdominal amniocentesis at weeks 15-17 of pregnancy were tested for M. hominis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplicons were hybridized to an internal probe and detected by ELISA. Pregnancy outcomes and clinical data were subsequently obtained. Results: M. hominis were identified in 29 (6.4%) of the amniotic fluids. The rate of preterm labor in women positive for M. hominis (14.3%) was higher than in the negative women (3.3%) (p=0.01). Similarly, a spontaneous preterm birth with intact membranes occurred in 10.7% of the M. hominispositive women as opposed to only 1.9% of the negative women (p=0.02). The presence of this mycoplasma was not correlated with fetal chromosomal aberrations, intrauterine growth restriction or preeclampsia. Conclusions: Detection of M. hominis in secondtrimester amniotic fluids can identify women at increased risk for subsequent preterm labor and delivery.