Vaginal Biomarkers That Predict Cervical Length and Dominant Bacteria in the Vaginal Microbiomes of Pregnant Women

• DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02242-19
• Publication Date: 2019-10-21T12:34:44Z
• Authors: Steven S. Witkin; Antonio F. Moron; Benjamin J. Riden...; Evelyn Minis; Alan Hatanaka; Stephanno G. P. S...; Marcelo S. Franca; Francisco H. C. C...; Tatiana K. Hamamoto; Rosiane Mattar; Ester Sabino; Iara M. Linhares; Marilza V. C. Rudge; Larry J. Forney
• Keywords: Adult; 610; D-lactic acid; microbial communities; Microbial communities; Cervix Uteri; Vaginal microbiome; Microbiology; Cervix; d-lactic acid; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; TIMP-1; 0302 clinical medicine; Pregnancy; cervix; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Humans; Lactobacillus crispatus; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; Microbiota; lactic acid; preterm birth; vaginal microbiome; Lactic acid; Preterm birth; cervical length; QR1-502; 3. Good health; Lactobacillus; Matrix Metalloproteinase 8; Vagina; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; Female; Cervical length; Biomarkers; Research Article

Premature birth and its complications are the largest contributors to infant death in the United States and globally. A short cervical length and the depletion of Lactobacillus species are known risk factors for preterm birth. However, in many resource-poor areas of the world, the technology to test for their occurrence is unavailable, and pregnant women with these risk factors are neither identified nor treated. In this study, we used path analysis to gain an unprecedented understanding of interactions between vaginal microbiome composition, the concentrations of various compounds in vaginal secretions, and cervical length. We identified low-cost point-of-care measures that might be used to identify pregnant women at risk for preterm birth. The use of these measures coupled with appropriate preventative or treatment strategies could reduce the incidence of preterm births in poor areas of the world that lack access to more sophisticated diagnostic methods.