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
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 27, 2008
Accepted:
December 21,
2007
Received in revised form:
December 20,
2007
Received:
October 5,
2007
Footnotes
���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.
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
