Cervical Gardnerella vaginalis in women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes

Objective To determine the association between microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) and/or intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI) and the cervical prevalence of Gardnerella vaginalis DNA in pregnancies with preterm prelabor rupture of membrane (PPROM). Method In total, 405 women with singleton pregnancies complicated with PPROM were included. Cervical fluid and amniotic fluid samples were collected at the time of admission. Bacterial and G. vaginalis DNA were assessed in the cervical fluid samples using quantitative PCR technique. Concentrations of interleukin-6 and MIAC were evaluated in the amniotic fluid samples. Loads of G. vaginalis DNA. 1% of the total cervical bacterial DNA were used to define the cervical prevalence of G. vaginalis as abundant. Based on the MIAC and IAI, women were categorized into four groups: with intra- amniotic infection (both MIAC and IAI), with sterile IAI (IAI without MIAC), with MIAC without IAI, and without either MIAC or IAI. Results The presence of the abundant cervical G. vaginalis was related to MIAC (with: 65% vs. without: 44%; p = 0.0004) but not IAI (with: 52% vs. without: 48%; p = 0.70). Women with MIAC without IAI had the highest load of the cervical G. vaginalis DNA (median 2.0 x 10(4) copies DNA/mL) and the highest presence of abundant cervical G. vaginalis (73%). Conclusions In women with PPROM, the presence of cervical G. vaginalis was associated with MIAC, mainly without the concurrent presence of IAI.

Automated summary

This study found that the presence of cervical Gardnerella vaginalis was associated with microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) in pregnancies with preterm prelabor rupture of membrane (PPROM), particularly without the presence of intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI).