TITLE:
Cervicovaginal Inflammatory Cytokines, Obesity and Inter-Pregnancy Interval Negatively Affect Pregnancy Duration in Pregnant Women at High-Risk for Recurrent Spontaneous Preterm Birth
AUTHORS:
Youssef Abdal Zaher, Adel F. Al-Kholy
KEYWORDS:
Preterm Birth, Inter-Pregnancy Interval, Cervicovaginal Fluid, Cytokines, Body Mass Index, Cervical Cerclage
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Reproductive Sciences,
Vol.7 No.4,
November
25,
2019
ABSTRACT: Objectives: Evaluation of change of cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) cytokines’ levels during pregnancy and its relation to incidence of preterm birth (PTB). Patients & Methods: Pregnant women with history of PTB and cervical length α (TNF-α) and interleukins (IL)-6 and -10 levels. Study outcomes included differences in cytokines’ levels between samples and groups. Results: Sample-I cytokines’ levels were significantly higher in study than control women. Cytokines’ levels in Sample-II were significantly higher in control, while were significantly lower in study women compared to Sample-I. Sixteen study women had PTB and had significantly higher CVF levels of IL-10 and TNF-α estimated in both samples than women had no PTB. Pregnancy duration was negatively correlated with maternal body mass index (BMI) and cytokines’ levels, while was positively correlated with inter-pregnancy interval (IPI). Cytokines’ levels were positively correlated with BMI and negatively correlated with IPI. Short IPI and high TNF-α levels are negative predictors for pregnancy duration. Conclusion: High BMI, short IPI and high CVF inflammatory cytokines’ levels negatively affect pregnancy duration especially in women with history of recurrent PTB. Early prophylactic CC for women at high-risk of SPTB can modulate local immune disturbance, reduce incidence of SPTB and prolong pregnancy duration.