Prevalence of Bacterial Vaginosis and Its Outcome in Women Attending Antenatal Care in Dhiraj Hospital, Waghodia, India

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a complex clinical syndrome characterized by imbalance in the vaginal microflora and a malodorous discharge when symptomatic. In pregnancy, BV has been associated with adverse outcomes such as miscarriage, premature rupture of membranes, preterm birth, and low birth weight. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and associations of BV and pregnancy outcomes among pregnant women in Dhiraj Hospital, Vadodara. Methods-We conducted a prospective observational study with high vaginal swabs obtained from consecutive newly registered antenatal women between 14 and 36 weeks gestation. The women were monitored until delivery, and their pregnancy outcome and demographic data were obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Results-Bacterial vaginosis was diagnosed by Nugent score in 58 of 156 women, giving a prevalence rate of 37 %. Bacterial vaginosis was significantly associated with preterm delivery (risk ratio [RR], 2.68; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.44�4.98), low birth weight (RR, 3.10; 95 % CI, 1.29�7.94), and premature rupture of membranes (RR, 5.9; 95 % CI, 3.11�14.67). The association between BV and miscarriage (