Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

2 Resident of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is characterized by excessive growth of anaerobic bacteria in the vaginal flora.
Previous studies have shown that patients with BV have a substantially increased risk for serious
complications such as chorioamnionitis, PROM, amniotic fluid infection, preterm delivery, low birth weight
infants, and endometritis following cesarean and vaginal delivery. The aim of this study was to investigate
the epidemiology and risk factors of BV in women visiting the Gynecologic Clinic of Bahonar Hospital of
Kerman University of Medical Sciences. All non-pregnant patients who presented with a complaint of
vaginal discharge to the Gynecologic Clinic of Bahonar Hospital in the study period were enrolled in this
study. After taking history and performing physical examinations Whiff test and microscopic examination of
vaginal fluid were performed and vaginal pH was determined using pH test tapes. BV was diagnosed
according to Amsel criteria. In this study, 130 non-pregnant women visiting the Gynecologic Clinic of
Bahonar Hospital in 2002 were examined for BV. BV was diagnosed in 49 women (37.7%). BV was not
correlated to age and BMI (p>0.05). Patients with BV had significantly lower educational (p=0.006) and
socio-economic (p=0.021) levels. There was a direct statistically significant correlation between BV and
smoking (p=0.033). BV did not have any significant correlation with current marital status or parity
(p>0.05). The prevalence of BV was higher in patients who had a history of abortion than in women who did
not report such history, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.070). There was a
statistically significant association between lack of usage of contraceptive pills and BV (p=0.035). BV was
more prevalent in women who used IUDs than in other women (71.4% vs. 38.3%), though this difference did
not attain statistical significance (p=0.091). There were positive associations between occurrence of BV and
history of vaginal infection (p<0.001), history of preterm delivery (p<0.001), and history of PROM
(p=0.028). BV, the most common cause of vaginal discharge in women of childbearing age, is seen with a
relatively high frequency in our patients. This condition is associated with various obstetric and
gynecological complications. It is therefore necessary to perform screening and possibly treatment in highrisk
patients. 

Keywords