Evaluation of vaginal culture results in patients with threatened preterm labor

Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of certain infections on preterm birth by examining cervicovaginal cultures from patients with and without premature rupture of membranes (PROM) who were diagnosed with threatened preterm labor. Material and Methods: Records of 85 patients diagnosed and treated for threatened preterm labor were retrospectively reviewed. Cervicovaginal cultures and laboratory results were analyzed. Preterm labor was diagnosed based on the Creasy-Herron criteria. Medical and obstetric histories, ultrasound examinations, vaginal examinations, and information on non-stress tests were recorded for all patients. The latency period was determined by subtracting the week of gestation at hospital admission from that at birth. Results: A total of 74 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Staphylococcus haemolyticus (n=7, 20.5%) was the most common microorganism detected in the cervicovaginal cultures. Births occurred before 37 weeks of gestation in 23 (67.6%) of the 34 patients who tested positive for microbial growth. No difference was observed between the rates of cervicovaginal culture positivity in threatened preterm labor patients with and without PROM (p=0.57). Of the 29 babies born in our hospital, thirteen (54.5%) of the 23 preterm babies were admitted to our hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. There were no positive indicators of infection or growth in the blood cultures of these infants. Discussion: Cervicovaginal and urine cultures provide important information that may prevent severe mortality and morbidity during follow-up of patients with threatened preterm labor.