Mycoplasma,Ureaplasma, and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Fresh Look

Recent work on the Molicutes that associate with genital tract tissues focuses on four species that may be of interest in potential maternal, fetal, and neonatal infection and in contributing to adverse pregnancy outcomes.Mycoplasma hominisandUreaplasma urealyticumhave historically been the subject of attention, butMycoplasma genitaliswhich causes male urethritis in addition to colonizing the female genital tract and the division ofUreaplasmainto two species,urealyticumandparvum, has also added new taxonomic clarity. The role of these genital tract inhabitants in infection during pregnancy and their ability to invade and infect placental and fetal tissue is discussed. In particular, the role of some of these organisms in prematurity may be mechanistically related to their ability to induce inflammatory cytokines, thereby triggering pathways leading to preterm labor. A review of this intensifying exploration of the mycoplasmas in relation to pregnancy yields several questions which will be important to examine in future research.

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Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis and adverse pregnancy outcomes

Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1097/qco.0b013e328360db58 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 231-240 ◽

Cited By ~ 100

Author(s):

Romina Capoccia ◽

Gilbert Greub ◽

David Baud

Keyword(s):

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Ureaplasma Urealyticum ◽

Mycoplasma Hominis ◽

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Adverse Pregnancy

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Genital mycoplasmas, including Mycoplasma genitalium, as sexually transmitted agents

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1258/0956462021924695 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 79-85 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

Anneli Uusküla ◽

Peter K Kohl

Keyword(s):

Genital Tract ◽

Ureaplasma Urealyticum ◽

Female Genital Tract ◽

Mycoplasma Species ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Pathogenic Potential ◽

Intracellular Location ◽

Main Site ◽

Sexually Transmitted

Mycoplasmas are the smallest free-living organisms, widespread in nature. Several mycoplasma species have been isolated from humans. For 6 of them: Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, M. primatum, M. genitalium, M. spermatophilum and M. penetrans, the genital tract is the main site of colonization. This review is concentrated on the role of mycoplasmas as sexually transmitted agents, with the emphasis to M. genitalium infections. M. hominis and U. urealyticum are isolated from the genital tract of healthy men and women with considerable frequency. The biological features (attachment properties, possible intracellular location) and experimental inoculation studies of M. genitalium indicate that this mycoplasma has pathogenic potential. Data from case-control studies, looking at men with non-gonococcal urethritis and women with cervicitis, have revealed that M. genitalium behave similarly to Chlamydia trachomatis and have revealed that carriage of M. genitalium and C. trachomatis is usually independent of one another. M. genitalium could be considered as a potential cause of sexually transmitted urethritis in men, including men with persistent or recurrent urethritis. More studies are expected to ascertain the role of M. genitalium in the female genital tract. Evidence-based data are needed to decide whether current non-gonococcal infection treatment principles are applicable or not for M. genitalium infections.

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Prevalence and significance of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum in the urines of a non-venereal disease population

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268800062117 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 98 (3) ◽

pp. 353-359 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Patricia M. Furr ◽

D. Taylor-Robinson

Keyword(s):

Healthy Volunteers ◽

Genital Tract ◽

Ureaplasma Urealyticum ◽

Venereal Disease ◽

Mycoplasma Hominis ◽

Tract Disease

SUMMARYUreaplasma urealyticum organisms (ureaplasmas) and Mycoplasma hominis organisms (mycoplasmas) were sought in mid-stream urines collected from 200 men and 200 women attending hospital with conditions of a non-venereal nature. In addition, the urines from 100 male and 100 female healthy volunteers were examined. Overall, ureaplasmas were isolated four times more often than mycoplasmas. In individuals less than 50 years of age, the organisms were found in about 20 % of men and about 40 % of women. In individuals 50 years or older, they were found about one-third to one-half as frequently. Centrifugation of urine and examination of the resuspended deposit did not increase the isolation rates. In men, the numbers of organisms in the urine were usually small (< 103 c.c.u./ml) with less than tenfold more in the urine of women. The occurrence of 51– > 1000 leucocytes per mm3 in some of the urines was not associated with either the presence or an increased number of ureaplasmas/mycoplasmas, whereas they were associated with the presence of 105 or more bacteria/ml. The significance of these findings in the context of defining the role of ureaplasmas/mycoplasmas in genital-tract disease is discussed.

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Role of Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein (PAPP-A) and Free Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (B-HCG) in Predicting Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

İstanbul Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Tıp Dergisi ◽

10.5222/iksst.2016.020 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Ahmet Yıldız ◽

Fatih Şahin

Keyword(s):

Chorionic Gonadotropin ◽

Plasma Protein ◽

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin ◽

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Adverse Pregnancy

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OP09.07: The role of uterine artery Doppler velocimetry in prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein

Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology ◽

10.1002/uog.9345 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 38 (S1) ◽

pp. 82-82

Author(s):

A. Jamal ◽

R. Bakhtiarian ◽

V. Marsoosi ◽

L. Eslamian

Keyword(s):

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Uterine Artery ◽

Elevated Serum ◽

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Alpha Fetoprotein ◽

Doppler Velocimetry ◽

Uterine Artery Doppler ◽

Serum Alpha Fetoprotein ◽

Adverse Pregnancy

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Selected Micronutrients: An Option to Boost Immunity against COVID-19 and Prevent Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Pregnant Women: A Narrative Review

Iranian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.18502/ijph.v49i11.4717 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

NAWSHERWAN NAWSHERWAN ◽

Suliman KHAN ◽

Falak ZEB ◽

Muhammad SHOAIB ◽

Ghulam NABI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Vitamin A ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Immune Function ◽

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Pregnancy Complications ◽

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Adequate Intake ◽

Adverse Pregnancy

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) negatively affects immune system. It is linked with adverse pregnancy outcomes. These complications may be linked with the infections mediated deficiency of micronutrients in pregnant women. COVID-19 cause’s malabsorption of micronutrients thereby increases the risk of their deficiency. Both micronutrients deficiencies and poor micronutrients intake can compromise immune function and may increase the risk of pregnancy complications associated with COVID-19 infection. Vitamin A, C, D, E, and selected minerals iron (Fe), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) are the micronutrients essential for immuno-competency and play a significant role in the prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Immune function and pregnancy outcomes can be improved by adequate intake of micronutrients in diet or in supplements form. Based on regulatory links between viral infection, micronutrients, immunity, and pregnancy outcomes, this review highlights the role of micronutrients in boosting immunity to reduce or prevent pregnancy complications in COVID-19 infected women.

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Living in a block group with a higher eviction rate is associated with increased odds of preterm delivery

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health ◽

10.1136/jech-2020-215377 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. jech-2020-215377

Author(s):

Alexa A Freedman ◽

Britney P Smart ◽

Lauren S Keenan-Devlin ◽

Ann Borders ◽

Linda M Ernst ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Linear Trend ◽

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Future Research ◽

Housing Instability ◽

Block Group ◽

Adverse Pregnancy ◽

Block Groups ◽

Filing Rate

BackgroundHousing instability is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Recent studies indicate that eviction, which may affect a larger segment of the population than other forms of housing instability, is also associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, these studies evaluate eviction across large areas, such as counties, so it remains unclear whether these patterns extend to individual-level pregnancy outcomes.MethodsWe used data on a cohort of all singleton live births at a single Chicago hospital between March 2008 and March 2018 to investigate the associations between block-group eviction rates and individual adverse pregnancy outcomes. Eviction data were obtained from the Eviction Lab at Princeton University. Generalised estimating equations were used to estimate associations and account for correlations among individuals living in the same block groups.ResultsIndividuals living in block groups in the highest quartile for eviction filing rate were 1.17 times as likely to deliver preterm (95% CI: 1.08 to 1.27) and 1.13 times as likely to deliver a small for gestational age infant (95% CI: 1.03 to 1.25) as compared with individuals living in block groups in the lowest quartile. Further, tests for linear trend indicated that for each quartile increase in eviction filing rate, there was a corresponding increase in odds of adverse outcomes (p<0.05). Results were strongest in magnitude for those with low neighbourhood and individual socioeconomic status, who are most likely to be renters and affected by local eviction policies.ConclusionOur results suggest that individuals living in block groups with higher eviction rates are more likely to deliver preterm. Future research should explore associations of individual experience with eviction on adverse pregnancy outcomes and examine whether policies to improve tenant protections also impact pregnancy outcomes.

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