Diagnosis and management of infection and its role in preterm labor

OBJECTIVE: Analysis of contemporary knowledge of infection and its role in etiology and pathogenesis of preterm labor. DESIGN: Review article. SETTING: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague. METHODS: An overview of published data. CONCLUSION: Infection is considered the most significant cause of preterm labor. The current research tend towards searching for local cervicovaginal markers of infection. An important role in the prenatal care is played by cervical ultrasonography which together with cervicovaginal markers can sort out the group of women with high risk of the preterm labor. Cervicovaginal markers can reveal microbial invasion into higher parts of the birth canals during the intrapartal care and justify the administration of antibiotics especially to women with the premature rupture of membranes. The routine administration of antibiotics was reevaluated in the management of preterm labor. The question of optimal antibiotics remains open.