Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2004 May;47(5):924-930.

Hydrogen Peroxide-producing Lactobacillus in Vaginal Flora of Pregnant Women with Preterm Labor and Intact Membranes

• Na JH
• Kim YH
• Oh JS
• Shin JH
• Yang JS
• Kim CH
• Cho MK
• Song TB

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the possible role of vaginal infection in preterm delivery, we studied characteristics of vaginal discharge related to hydrogen peroxide producing Lactobacillus.
METHODS
Vaginal specimens were obtained from 66 women with normal pregnancy and 30 women with preterm labor and intact membranes. Vaginal pH, leukocyte counts on wet smear, and scores by Nugent criteria on Gram stain were measured. Lactobacillus were tested for production of hydrogen peroxide using a qualitative assay on a tetramethylbenzidine agar plate after incubated for 30 minutes and 1 hour. One hundred eighty-seven hydrogen peroxide-producing Lactobacillus colonies isolated from vaginal fluid of normal pregnant women, and 77 hydrogen peroxide-producing Lactobacillus colonies isolated from it of women with preterm labor and intact membrane.
RESULTS
1. There were no significant differences in vaginal pH between normal pregnant women and women with preterm labor and intact membranes (4.06 +/- 0.31 vs. 4.04 +/- 0.57, pCONCLUSION
Distribution of vaginal hydrogen peroxide-producing Lactobacillus in vaginal flora as defense factors for vaginal infection may have a important role in the pathophysiology of preterm labor.

Keyword

Hydrogen peroxide-producing Lactobacillus; Preterm labor

MeSH Terms

Agar
Female
Humans
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen*
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Lactobacillus*
Leukocyte Count
Leukocytes
Membranes*
Obstetric Labor, Premature*
Pregnancy
Pregnant Women*
Vaginal Discharge
Vaginal Smears
Agar
Hydrogen
Hydrogen Peroxide