Results
Of 607 pregnant individuals. 258 (42.5%) had a negative Ureaplasma
culture, 308 (50.7%) had a positive Ureaplasma culture and received
treatment, and 41 (6.8%) had a positive Ureaplasma culture and did not
receive treatment. (Figure 1).
Maternal demographics are presented in Table 1. There were statistical
differences in distributions and proportions of maternal age, race and
ethnicity, smoking, illicit drug, Trichomonas vaginalis co-infection,
and reason for Ureaplasma culture. Compared to pregnant individuals who
had a negative culture, those who had a positive Ureaplasma and received
treatment were more likely to be younger, non-Hispanic black,
co-infected with Trichomonas vaginalis, and have Ureaplasma culture
indicated for a history of preterm birth (P<0.05). Compared to
pregnant individuals who had a negative culture, those who had a
positive Ureaplasma and did not receive treatment were more likely to be
smokers (P=0.02).
Kaplan Meier curves are presented in Figure 2. There was no difference
in gestational age at delivery (Log-rank P=0.40). There was no
difference in median gestational age at delivery between groups
(negative 37.4 [interquartile 36.0-39.0] weeks vs. positive and
received treatment 37.7 [35.6-39.0] weeks vs. positive and did not
receive treatment 37.3 [36.0-38.7] weeks; P =0.57). Hazard ratios
are presented in Table 2. Compared to those who had a positive
Ureaplasma culture but did not receive treatment, those who had a
negative Ureaplasma culture did not have decreased a risk (HR 1.02;
95%CI 0.73-1.42). Similarly, compared to those who had a positive
Ureaplasma culture but did not receive treatment, those who had a
positive Ureaplasma culture and received treatment did not have a
decreased risk (HR 0.90; 95%CI 0.65-1.25). Individuals who had
Ureaplasma culture for recurrent pregnancy loss compared to those who
had Ureaplasma culture for a history of preterm birth had a decreased
risk (HR 0.54; 95%CI 0.35-0.85). Secondary outcomes are presented in
Table 3. There were no differences in secondary outcomes across the
groups.
Of 308 individuals who had a positive Ureaplasma culture and received
treatment, 234 (76%) had a follow-up Ureaplasma culture. The overall
treatment failure rate after the initial treatment was 78.6% (184/234;
95%CI 72.8-83.7%). Rates of treatment failure according to reasons for
Ureaplasma culture are presented in Table 4. Compared to a history of
preterm births, cerclage was associated with decreased odds of treatment
failure (odds ratio 0.33; 95%CI 0.18-0.61).