Ureaplasmen in der Frauenheilkunde und Perinatalmedizin

The general interest in Ureaplasma species and their relevance for gynecology and perinatal medicine has increased over the last years. One of the main challenges in this context is that Ureaplasma can be part of the normal human urogenital microbiota but can also be associated with perinatal complications. The potential to cause complications during pregnancy and neonatal infections has led to an increased interest in the role of Ureaplasma in perinatal medicine. In addition, there is an ongoing debate on whether to screen for these bacteria during pregnancy in order to reduce the rate of associated perinatal complications. A timely diagnosis, ideally using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques and the treatment of infections with Ureaplasma, can contribute to an improvement in maternal and neonatal outcomes. Currently, there is still a need for individual solutions for each patient according to the individual risk and symptoms in order to avoid unnecessary treatment and costs, even though this approach is indeed unsatisfactory.