OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of Lactobacillus spp. in vaginal flora during pregnancy and to assess the protective effects of lactobacilli against @entity3152 . DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of Lactobacillus spp. in the vaginal flora of the pregnant coloured population of the Western Cape. @entity1 : A total of 480 consecutive pregnant @entity1 , aged 13-48 years, seen at their first visit to the Tygerberg Hospital antenatal clinic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: @entity3152 , i.e. before 34 and 37 weeks' gestation, @entity397 of membranes, @entity851 and perinatal @entity204 . RESULTS: A total of 163 @entity1 had negative cultures and 317 positive cultures for lactobacilli, aerobes or both. Delivery before 37 weeks occurred in 18% and 20% of the two groups, respectively. Lactobacillus only was cultured from 116 @entity1 and Lactobacillus and/or other aerobes from 201 @entity1 . @entity3152 occurred in 20% of the first group and in 19% of the second group. The perinatal outcome in @entity1 from whom lactobacilli only were cultivated did not differ from @entity1 from whom other aerobes and lactobacilli or other aerobes only were cultured. CONCLUSION: In @entity1 at high risk for @entity3152 , the presence of lactobacilli in the vagina does not seem to play a protective role.

Do vaginal lactobacilli prevent XXXX ?

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'patients', 'PARTICIPANTS'] @entity851 :: ('MESH:D006130', 'Disease') :: ['intra-uterine growth retardation'] @entity3152 :: ('MESH:D007752', 'Disease') :: ['preterm labour', 'Preterm labour'] @entity397 :: ('MESH:D012421', 'Disease') :: ['premature rupture'] @entity204 :: ('MESH:D003643', 'Disease') :: ['deaths']
@entity3152 :: (MESH:D007752,Disease) :: ['preterm labour']
