Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The identification of risk factors for early pregnancy termination is an important aspect in modern obstetrics. The vaginal microbiota plays a significant role in normal pregnancy course affecting the local immune response. Inflammation caused by pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms activates various immune arms altering expression of innate immunity genes. Molecular genetic determination of the inflammatory response and microbial composition of the vaginal biotope could become an important criterion for predicting pregnancy complications. The aim of the study was to analyze markers of the local immune response and vaginal microbiota composition during pregnancy to predict pregnancy outcomes. Materials and methods. 52 women verified at up to 10 weeks pregnancy were examined. Depending on the outcome of ongoing pregnancy, study participants were divided into 3 groups: group 1 (n = 42) with term birth; group 2 (n = 7) with premature birth; and group 3 (n = 3) with miscarriage. Vaginal discharge was analyzed using a molecular genetic test to evaluate local cytokines and vaginal microbiota profile, sequentially in each trimester. Results. In all patients during the first trimester, the presence of lactobacillus species dominated by L. iners and L. crispatus was detected. L. crispatus prevailed only in group 1 in the first and second trimesters. In group 2, L. iners was most common in both the first and second trimesters, with a significantly higher level in the second trimester compared to group 1. The inflammation index in the first trimester was more often associated with inflammation in groups 1 and 2. In the second trimester, the cytokine profile in group 1 showed no signs of inflammatory response, while in group 2, pro-inflammatory responses were significantly more common. Conclusion. The dominance of L. crispatus in the vaginal microbiota and the low expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines during the second trimester may suggest a high likelihood for successful pregnancy outcome. Assessing cytokine profile along with type of vaginal microbiocenosis opens up avenues for diagnosis allowing to identify women at risk of premature birth.
Language: Russian
Subfield: Microbiology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7169873477