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Background: Several studies have suggested that pregnant women infected with Trichomonas vaginalis may be at increased risk of an adverse outcome. Goal: To evaluate prospectively the association between T. vaginalis and risk of adverse pregnancy outcome in a large cohort of ethnically diverse women. Study Design: At University-affiliated hospitals and antepartum clinics in five United States cities, 13,816 women (5,241 black, 4,226 Hispanic, and 4,349 white women) were enrolled at mid-gestation, tested for T vaginalis by culture, and followed up until delivery. Results: The prevalence of T vaginalis infection at enrollment was 12.6%. Race-specific prevalence rates were 22.8% for black, 6.6% for Hispanic, and 6.1% for white women. After multivariate analysis, vaginal infection with T vaginalis at mid-gestation was significantly associated with low birth weight (odds ratio 1.3; 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 1.5), preterm delivery (odds ratio 1.3; 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 1.4), and preterm delivery of a low birth weight infant (odds ratio 1.4; 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 1.6). The at tributable risk of T vaginalis infection associated with low birth weight in blacks was 11% compared with 1.6% in Hispanics and 1.5% in whites. Conclusions: After considering other recognized risk factors including co-infections, pregnant women infected with T. vaginalis at mid-gestation were statistically significantly more likely to have a low birth weight infant, to deliver preterm, and to have a preterm low birth weight infant. Compared with whites and Hispanics, T vaginalis infection accounts for a disproportionately larger share of the low birth weight rate in blacks., Pregnant women infected with Trichomonas vaginalis appear to be at increased risk for delivery complications. T. vaginalis infection and delivery complication rates were determined among 13,816 pregnant women. Overall, 12.6% of the women were infected with T. vaginalis mid-way through pregnancy. Infected women were 1.3 times more likely to deliver prematurely or to have a low birth weight infant. They were 1.4 times more likely to deliver a low-birth-weight infant prematurely. The highest infection rates were seen among black women who also had a higher risk of low-birth-weight infants than other ethnic groups.

Antimicrobial drugs used to treat vaginal and cervical infections may not cause a decrease in Lactobacillus levels. Lactobacillus is a bacterium found in the vaginas of healthy women that may prevent the development of yeast infections. Researchers studied 180 sexually active women with chlamydial, bacterial, and yeast infections, and found that the various antimicrobial drugs they were taking did not hinder the growth of Lactobacillus.

The role of mucopurulent cervicitis in identifying pregnant women with Chlamydia trachomatis infection and poor pregnancy outcome was examined at the Johns Hopkins Hospital Obstetric Clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. The women studied were at high risk for chlamydial infection (14%), low birth-weight (12%), and preterm delivery (13%). Yellow endocervical discharge on a cotton swab had a sensitivity of 23.9%, specificity of 89.4%, and positive predictive value of 28.6% for predicting chlamydial infection. The presence of [is greater than or equal to] 30 polymorphonuclear cells per 1000X field had a sensitivity of 25.0%, specificity of 87.6% and positive predictive value of 24.3%. Women with cervicitis defined by [is greater than to or equl to] 30 polymorhpnonuclear cells per 1000X field were twice as likely to deliver a low-birthweight infant. Adjustment for potential confounding variables did not explain this association. The poor sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of mucopurulent cervicitis suggests that this parameter is not a useful screening tool for chlamydial infection in pregnant women. However, mucopurulent cervicitis may be an indicator of increased risk for poor pregnancy outcome.