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Vaginal pH: A Marker of Preterm Premature Rupture of the Membranes

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Abstract

Preterm premature rupture of the membranes (FROM) is a common predecessor of preterm or low birth weight (LBW) birth, yet the risk of preterm FROM is presently unpredictable. Numerous infectious organisms that change the normal vaginal milieu have been associated with preterm PROM. Because these organisms alter vaginal pH, the use of pH was evaluated as a potential marker for women at increased risk for preterm PROM. Among 115 women at high risk for an LBW birth, those with a mean vaginal pH above 4.5 had a threefold increased risk of preterm PROM as compared with those with a mean pH of 4.5 or lower. Vaginal pH may be a useful marker to predict a woman's risk for preterm PROM