Genitourinary Infections and their Implications in Preterm Birth

Abstract

Preterm delivery is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of preterm birth in women hospitalized in the "Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Dr. I. A. Sbârcea" Brasov during the years 2014-2016 and diagnosed with genitourinary infections. We observed an average incidence of preterm delivery of 15.33% and an incidence of preterm birth in pregnant women with positive cervical cultures and positive urine cultures between 19.73% (2014) and 14.95% (2016). 54.24% of cases came from rural areas compared to women from urban areas (45.75%), while lifestyle, diet, excessive effort, lack of education, and hygiene in the intimate area had negative influences on the normal evolution of pregnancy and increased the incidence of birth before the term in rural areas. Therefore, preterm birth is the largest global cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity and it should be seen as an important public concern.