Publication:

Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in antenatal women and its correlation with maternal outcomes: a tertiary hospital based prospective study

Background Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in reproductive-aged women, with heightened risks during pregnancy, including preterm labor and low birth weight. Despite its association with poor outcomes, routine screening in pregnancy is not universally implemented, particularly in India, where regional data on BV and pregnancy outcomes are limited. Present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of BV in antenatal women and assess its impact on maternal outcomes.

Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted at Tirath Ram Shah Trust Hospital, Delhi, over one year (April 2025 to March 2026). Two hundred pregnant women (singleton pregnancies, <20 weeks gestation) were enrolled. BV was diagnosed using Nugent’s criteria via Gram-stained vaginal smears. Maternal outcomes (abortions, preterm labor, PROM, IUD, chorioamnionitis) were tracked until delivery.

Results Of the 200 women, 18% were BV-positive. No significant association was found between age, gravida, or mode of delivery and BV. However, BV was significantly linked with PROM (11.1% versus 0.6%) and PPROM (19.4% versus 2.4%). Preterm birth was also higher in BV-positive women (22.2% versus 2.4%).

Conclusions BV in pregnancy was associated with higher risks of PROM, PPROM, and preterm birth. These findings suggest that routine screening and management of BV in antenatal care could help mitigate adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.