ArticleDeutsches Arzteblatt international2011
Self-testing of vaginal pH to prevent preterm delivery: a controlled trial.
Article in Deutsches Arzteblatt international, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Routine screening of abnormal vaginal flora during pregnancy reduces the odds of preterm birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2023Pooled it
- The prevention, diagnosis and treatment of premature labor.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2013Pooled it
- Prevention and Therapy of Preterm Birth. Guideline of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG (S2k-Level, AWMF Registry Number 015/025, September 2022) - Part 1 with Recommendations on the Epidemiology, Etiology, Prediction, Primary and Secondary Prevention of Preterm Birth.Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde · 2023Article
- [Patients in radiotherapy].Strahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft ... [et al] · 2012Article
- [Organ protective intensive care treatment and simulation-based training].Der Anaesthesist · 2012Review
- Correspondence (letter to the editor): methodological problems.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2011Article
- Correspondence (letter to the editor): serious shortcomings.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2011Article
- Correspondence (letter to the editor): weaknesses in study design.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2011Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFrom 2004 to 2006, in a model project carried out by four German health insurers, expectant mothers were offered self-testing of vaginal pH in order to prevent preterm delivery. They were given pH test gloves on request so that they could measure their vaginal pH twice a week from the 12(th) to the 32(nd) week of gestation. They were instructed to consult with a gynecologist after any positive result. All further diagnostic or therapeutic decisions were at the discretion of the treating gynecologist. We assessed the effectiveness of the screening intervention, using delivery before the 37th week of gestation as the primary endpoint.
methodsIn this prospective, controlled trial, we collected data on deliveries from 2004 to 2006 that were covered by the four participating insurers in five German federal states. We compared the outcomes of pregnancy in women who did and did not request test gloves (intervention group, [IG], and control group, [CG]). The data were derived from claims data of the participating insurers, as well as from a nationwide quality assurance auditing program for obstetrics and perinatal care. Propensity score matching and multivariate adjustment were used to control for the expected self-selection bias.
resultsThe study sample comprised 149 082 deliveries. 13% of the expectant mothers requested test gloves, about half of them up to the 16(th) week of gestation. As expected, women with an elevated risk of preterm birth requested test gloves more often. Delivery before the 37(th) week of gestation was slightly more common in the intervention group than in the control group (IG 7.97%, CG 7.52%, relative risk 1.06, 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.12). This result was of borderline statistical significance in the propensity score matched analysis, but it was not statistically significant in the multivariate model.
conclusionThis trial did not demonstrate the efficacy of self-testing of vaginal pH for the prevention of preterm delivery (< 37 weeks of gestation).
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