Bacterial vaginosis as a risk factor for preterm birth

At the moment, the problem of preterm birth is one of the most urgent in the modern world. Preterm birth is of the greatest interest in obstetrics, as they can lead to various conditions that interfere with the further development and vital activity of the baby, which can lead to various disorders in the baby’s body systems, and in the worst case, can also lead to its death. Nowadays, there is no complete understanding of the mechanisms of development of preterm labor. The pathogenesis and pathophysiology of preterm birth are extremely complex, however, of course, many factors affect the development of this process, including the state of the microflora of the female genital tract. This article provides a review of current literature on the effects of bacterial vaginosis and significant infectious microorganisms ( Prevotella sp., Mobiluncus sp., Gardnerella vaginalis , Mycoplasma hominis , etc.) on the development of preterm labor. This work presents a review of the current literature on the available data on the effect of various microorganisms of the female genital tract, as well as the significant cytokines, defensins, prostaglandins, and other biologically active substances secreted by them that are most likely involved in the process of preterm delivery. A probable mechanism for the development of preterm labor is presented under the influence of changes in the vaginal microflora and the predominance of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic flora with the participation of matrix metalloproteinases, phospholipases and ligands of Toll-like receptors.