Antepartum vaginal Candida colonization and the risk for obstetrical tears

Abstract

Objective

Vaginal Candida colonization is very common during pregnancy. An association between Candida colonization and obstetrical tears has not yet been investigated. We investigated whether vaginal Candida colonization during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk for obstetrical tears.

Study design

A prospective cohort study was undertaken between the years 2014–2016, comparing pregnancy and delivery characteristics of women with and without Candida colonization during pregnancy. Clinical characteristics of Candida positive women and those with normal vaginal flora were collected. To test the statistical significance of the categorical variables, the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test were used, where appropriate. For continuous variables, the Student’s t-test was used.

Results

During the study period, 102 women with vaginal Candida during pregnancy (of whom 70% had Candida albicans species) and 102 controls with normal vaginal flora were included in the analysis. No significant differences were observed between Candida positive women and those with normal vaginal flora. Pregnancy and delivery outcomes were comparable and no increased risk of obstetrical tears was found in the Candida group.

Conclusions

Vaginal colonization with Candida species during pregnancy was not found to be associated with an increased risk of obstetrical tears.

Keywords:

• Candida albicans
• Candida species
• perineal tears
• pregnancy
• vaginitis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.