The association between vaginal hygiene practices and spontaneous preterm birth: A case-control study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide and defining its risk factors is necessary to reduce its prevalence. Recent studies have pointed out that bacterial vaginosis, a disturbance in the vaginal microbiome, is associated with SPTB. It is hypothesized that vaginal hygiene practices can alter the vaginal microbiome and are therefore associated with SPTB, but there are no studies investigating this matter.

Methods and findings

A case-control study was conducted between August 2018 and July 2021 in two affiliated university medical centers in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We included a total of 79 women with a SPTB and compared them with 156 women with a term birth. Women with uterine anomalies, a history of cervi

SUBMITTER: Janssen LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9246112 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature