The effects of symptomatic bacterial vaginosis in the second trimester of pregnancy on pregnancy outcome

Objective: A prospective cohort study was designed to evaluate the correlation between the presence of bacterial vaginosis and pregnancy outcomes.
Methods: 192 pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy with vaginal discharge were included in the study.The study group consisted of 50 pregnant women positive for the presence of bacterial vaginosis. 138 pregnant women without bacterial vaginosis constituted the control group and both groups were compared in respect to the pregnancy outcomes. 
Results: Neither the timing of the delivery nor the presence of chorioamnionitis, wound infections or postpartum endometritis showed a statistically significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05). The incidences of both preterm labor and premature rupture of membranes were found to be significantly higher in the group of patients with bacterial vaginosis (p <0.05).
Conclusions: The presence of bacterial vaginosis in the second trimester of pregnancy increases the rates of premature rupture of membranes as well as preterm labor. Other complications of pregnancy exhibited a somewhat similar increase in number however these figures were statistically insufficient to prove a significant correlation inbetween. We suppose that a new study group of a substantially larger scale will demonstrate a significant increase in these complications as well.