Contraception
Volume 77, Issue 4 , Pages 294-298, April 2008

High prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium in women presenting for termination of pregnancy☆

  • Beverley A. Lawton

      Affiliations

    • Women's Health Research Centre, Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box 7343, Wellington South, New Zealand
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +64 4 385 5995x4893; fax: +64 4 385 5473.
    • ,
  • Sally B. Rose

      Affiliations

    • Women's Health Research Centre, Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box 7343, Wellington South, New Zealand
    • ,
  • Collette Bromhead

      Affiliations

    • Molecular Biology Department, Aotea Pathology, Wellington, New Zealand
    • ,
  • Louise A. Gaitanos

      Affiliations

    • Molecular Biology Department, Aotea Pathology, Wellington, New Zealand
    • ,
  • E. Jane MacDonald

      Affiliations

    • WIPA Wellington Sexual Health Service, Newtown, Wellington
    • ,
  • Kim A. Lund

      Affiliations

    • Wellington Hospital, Capital and Coast District Health Board, New Zealand

Received 5 October 2007; received in revised form 20 December 2007; accepted 21 December 2007. published online 27 February 2008.

Abstract 

Background

Sexually transmitted infections increase the risk of postoperative complications after termination of pregnancy. Mycoplasma genitalium is sexually transmitted and associated with adverse clinical outcomes in both males and females. The prevalence of M. genitalium is not yet known in New Zealand women or among women presenting for termination of pregnancy.

Study Design

This study involved prospective data collection at a public hospital clinic for termination of pregnancy. Participants were 300 under 25-year-old women presenting for termination of pregnancy. The study aimed to describe the prevalence of M. genitalium in women presenting for termination of pregnancy using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Women provided a vaginal swab that was sent to the laboratory for PCR detection of M. genitalium. Data collection included age, ethnicity, previous pregnancy history, gestational age, procedure type, results of STI tests performed on referral for a termination of pregnancy (C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, T. vaginalis and bacterial vaginosis) and use of antimicrobials in the past 3 weeks.

Results

M. genitalium was detected in 26 women (8.7%). Rates of infection did not differ significantly by patient characteristics such as age, ethnicity or previous pregnancies. Infection with M. genitalium was not significantly associated with bacterial vaginosis or C. trachomatis infection.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this is the first prospective study designed to determine the prevalence of M. genitalium in women presenting for termination of pregnancy. Given the high proportion of cases observed in this study, further research is needed to determine the clinical significance of M. genitalium in postoperative termination of pregnancy complications.

Keywords: Mycoplasma genitalium, Termination of pregnancy, Sexually transmitted infection, Females, PCR

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☆ This study was funded by a grant from the University of Otago and from ISTAR (a nonprofit organization that imports and distributes mifepristone in New Zealand). The authors would like to thank the women who participated in the study and the staff at the Wellington Hospital TOP unit and Aotea Pathology for their assistance with this study. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Dr Christoph Noppen, Viollier AG, Basel, Switzerland, for the MG297 assay, and Roche Diagnostics New Zealand for supplying PCR reagents.

PII: S0010-7824(08)00002-4

doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2007.12.002

Contraception
Volume 77, Issue 4 , Pages 294-298, April 2008

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