Assessment of obstetric history and cervical length as risk factors for preterm birth / Evaluación de la história obstétrica y la longitud cervical como factores de riesgo para el parto prematuro

Introduction: Preterm birth, before 37 weeks of gestation, is the main determinant of neonatal morbidity and mortality and is associated with serious consequences,including compromised quality of life for the affected individual and physical, psychological, and economic costs. Objective: To evaluate the correlation of obstetric history, cervicovaginal infections, and cervical length with preterm birth. A prospective, blind cohort study evaluated 1,370 pregnant women from Ribeirão Preto between 20 and 25 weeks of gestation. Materials and methods: The correlation between obstetric history, cervical length, and gestational age at birth was obtained by calculating the relative risk of the different variables. Results: The distribution of pregnant women according to cervical length (CL) showed a predominance of women with a cervix longer than 2.5 cm (n = 1,308, 95.8%), followed by women with a cervix between 2 and 2.49 cm (n = 42, 3.1%) and < 2 cm (n = 15, 1.1%). Among the 1,370 pregnant women evaluated, 133 had spontaneous preterm birth (< 259 days); 14 (10.5%) preterm births occurred in women under 19 years of age, 105 (79%) in women between 19 and 35 years, and 14 (10.5%) in women older than 35 years. Microbiological analysis showed the growth of Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and other bacteria in 8, 17, and 16 women with preterm birth, respectively. Among the 133 women with spontaneous preterm birth, CL was < 2.5 cm in 15 women, < 2 cm in 3, < 1.5 cm in 3, and < 1 cm in 2. Conclusion: The identification of pregnant women at high risk for preterm delivery can reduce the incidence of preterm birth. Although no gold standard test exists for the prediction of preterm birth, this study confirms that the measurement of CL is a good individual predictor.

Introducción: El nacimiento pretérmino, antes de las 37 semanas de gestación, es el principal determinante de la morbimortalidad neonatal y se asocia a graves consecuencias,incluyendo el compromiso de la calidad de vida del individuo afectado y costes físicos, psicológicos y económicos. Objetivo: Evaluar la correlación de los antecedentes obstétricos, infecciones cervicovaginales y longitud cervical con el parto prematuro. Estudio de cohorte prospectivo, ciego, evaluando 1.370 gestantes de Ribeirão Preto entre 20 y 25 semanas de gestación. Material y métodos: La correlación entre los antecedentes obstétricos, la longitud cervical y la edad gestacional al nacer se obtuvo calculando el riesgo relativo de las diferentes variables. Resultados: La distribución de las gestantes según la longitud cervical (LC) mostró un predominio de mujeres con cuello uterino mayor de 2,5 cm (n = 1,308, 95.8%), seguidas de mujeres con cuello uterino entre 2 y 2,49 cm (n = 42, 3.1%) y menor de 2 cm (n = 15, 1.1%). De las 1,370 embarazadas evaluadas, 133 tuvieron un parto prematuro espontáneo (< 259 días); 14 (10.5%) partos prematuros se produjeron en mujeres menores de 19 años, 105 (79%) en mujeres de entre 19 y 35 años, y 14 (10.5%) en mujeres mayores de 35 años. Los análisis microbiológicos mostraron la proliferación de Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum y otras bacterias en 8, 17 y 16 mujeres con parto prematuro, respectivamente. Entre las 133 mujeres con parto prematuro espontáneo, la CL fue < 2.5 cm en 15 mujeres, < 2 cm en 3, < 1.5 cm en 3 y < 1 cm en 2. Conclusión: La identificación de las gestantes con alto riesgo de parto prematuro puede reducir la incidencia de parto prematuro. Aunque no existe una prueba de referencia para la predicción del parto prematuro, este estudio confirma que la medición de la longitud cervical es una buena predicción individual.

Lack of Association between Mannose-binding Lectin 2 Codons 54 and 57 Gene Polymorphisms and Cervicovaginal Infections in Mexican Women.

The mannose-binding lectin (MBL) 2 gene has an important function in the innate immune response and activation of the third pathway of the complement system. Some studies have assessed the association of the MBL2 gene polymorphisms with cervicovaginal infections (CVI); however, there is no information about this association in Mexican women. This study aimed to determine the association between the MBL2 codons 54 and 57 gene polymorphisms with CVI in a sample of Mexican women. Through a cross-sectional study, blood samples and cervicovaginal cultures were obtain from 354 women. MBL2 genotyping was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction with Taqman probes. Of the 354 women studied, 128 (36.2%) had CVI and 226 (63.8%) were healthy. The frequencies of the C and T variants in codon 54 in women with CVI were 83% and 17%, respectively; whereas the frequencies of these variants in healthy women were 82% and 18%, respectively. The frequencies of variants C/C, C/T, and T/T in women with CVI were 68%, 31%, and 1%, respectively; whereas the frequencies of these variants in healthy women were 68%, 29%, and 3%, respectively. With respect to codon 57, the frequencies of variants C and T were identical in women with CVI and in healthy women (97% and 3%, respectively). The frequencies of variants C/C, C/T, and T/T were identical in women with CVI and in healthy women (94%, 6%, and 0%, respectively). We conclude that MBL2 codons 54 and 57 gene polymorphisms do not associate with CVI in Mexican women.