PLACENTAL INFECTION IN HABITUAL MISCARRIAGE

Abstract

Maternal infections entering fetus and placenta via ascending pathways are a class of their own among the numerous causes of habitual miscarriage. Prevalence and spectrum of pathogens of perinatally significant infection in placenta in habitual miscarriage were identified by PCR method. We found that placentas in incomplete pregnancies were infected in 62.8% of cases, or 1.7 times more than the rate in full-term pregnancies (37.5%; р<0.05). Placental infection was found in women with compromised gynecology history (spontaneous abortions, IVF, endocrine disorders) and pregnancy complications (fetal hypoxia, growth retardation, placental insufficiency). Most frequent pathogens in habitual miscarriage cases were Streptococcus pneumoniae (34.0%), Ureaplasma urealyticum (32.5%) and Cytomegalovirus (16.3%). The rate of pneumococcus and cytomegalovirus isolation was 8.9 and 4 times lower than that in full-term pregnancy, respectively (р<0.05). The difference in the rate of Ur. urealyticum infection of placentas in full-term and incomplete pregnancy was not significant. Such pathogens as Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Herpes human virus 4 type, Herpes human virus 6 type, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus were only isolated in single cases.