Submucosal Uterine Fibroids Are Associated With Bacterial Vaginosis

Abstract

Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the adjusted relationship between uterine fibroids and BV. Of the 189 patients with uterine fibroids, individuals with BV were more likely to have a submucosal fibroid(s) as compared to those without BV (28.3% vs 10.5%, P = 0.003). The odds of a subsequent diagnosis of BV were higher among patients with submucosal fibroids as compared to those with fibroids in other locations (Odds Ratio: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.3–7.1). Patients with BV demonstrated higher likelihoods of abnormal uterine bleeding (65.5% vs 26.3%, P < 0.001) and anemia (52.2% vs 30.3%, P = 0.003).

Keywords:

• Uterine fibroids
• leiomyoma
• bacterial vaginosis
• abnormal uterine bleeding
• vaginal microbiome

Acknowledgements

We thank Marie Bielman, BS, for her contributions to this study. Ms. Bielman is a senior software engineer in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She has no financial disclosures to report.

Disclosure Statement

J. M. C. reports no conflict of interest. H. S. reports no conflict of interest. B. S. reports no conflict of interest. S. O. reports no conflict of interest. K. V. reports no conflict of interest. L. M. E. reports no conflict of interest. J. H. S. is an unpaid board member of the Fibroid Foundation.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The research was supported, in part, by the Howard and Georgeanna Jones Endowment to J. H. S., and the David E. Rogers Student Fellowship Award to J. M. C.