U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
Release Date: February 2008
Summary of Recommendations / Supporting Documents
Summary of Recommendations
- The USPSTF recommends against screening for bacterial
vaginosis in asymptomatic pregnant women at low
risk for preterm delivery. (This is a grade "D" recommendation.)
- The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is
insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of
screening for bacterial vaginosis in asymptomatic pregnant
women at high risk for preterm delivery. (This is an "I" statement.)
|
Rationale:
Importance
The associations between bacterial vaginosis and adverse
pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm delivery, are
well documented.
Detection
Good-quality evidence indicates that screening tests
(the Amsel clinical criteria or Gram stain) can detect bacterial
vaginosis.
Benefits of Detection and Early Intervention
Asymptomatic Pregnant Women at Low Risk for Preterm Delivery. No direct evidence indicates that screening for
bacterial vaginosis reduces adverse health outcomes in
asymptomatic pregnant women at low risk for preterm delivery.
Good evidence indicates that treatment of bacterial
vaginosis in these women lacks benefit.
Asymptomatic Pregnant Women at High Risk for Preterm
Delivery. No direct evidence indicates that screening
for bacterial vaginosis reduces adverse health outcomes in
asymptomatic pregnant women at high risk for preterm
delivery. Evidence from good-quality studies is conflicting
with respect to the benefits of treating bacterial vaginosis.
Harms of Detection and Early Treatment
Asymptomatic Pregnant Women at Low Risk for Preterm
Delivery. Evidence is poor (because studies are lacking) for
harms of screening for bacterial vaginosis in asymptomatic
pregnant women at low risk for preterm delivery. Evidence
is fair that false-positive results from screening lead to
harms due to treatment.
Asymptomatic Pregnant Women at High Risk for Preterm
Delivery. Evidence is poor (because studies are lacking)
for harms of screening for bacterial vaginosis in
asymptomatic pregnant women at high risk for preterm
delivery. Studies on the harms of treatment have conflicting
results.
USPSTF Assessment. The USPSTF concludes that for
asymptomatic pregnant women at low risk for preterm delivery,
there is moderate certainty that screening for bacterial
vaginosis has no net benefit.
The USPSTF concludes that for asymptomatic pregnant
women at high risk for preterm delivery, the evidence
is conflicting and the balance of benefits and harms cannot
be determined. |
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Supporting Documents
Recommendation Statement (PDF File, 205 KB; PDF Help)
Clinical Summary (PDF File, 60 KB; PDF Help)
Update Review (PDF File, 1 MB; PDF Help)
Evidence Synthesis (PDF File, 1 MB; PDF Help)
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Current as of February 2008
Internet Citation:
Screening for Bacterial Vaginosis in Pregnancy, Topic Page. February 2008. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsbvag.htm