Objective: Our purpose was to determine the prevalence of intra-uterine infection in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes and to evaluate the clinical characteristics of women and neonates according to the presence or absence of intrauterine infection.
Study design: Trans-abdominal amniocentesis was performed in 90 consecutive patients admitted with preterm premature rupture of membranes. Maternal clinical parameters evaluated included maternal age, origin, gravidity, parity, habitual abortion, previous perinatal death, previous preterm birth, urinary tract infection, fetal distress, abruptio placentae, gestational diabetes, admission-delivery interval and cesarean rate. Neonatal clinical parameters evaluated were gestational age at delivery, birth weight, Apgar score, neonatal gender, perinatal death and neonatal sepsis.
Results: The prevalence of intra-uterine infection was 66.6% (60/90). No differences between patients with intra-uterine infection and those without intra-uterine infection were observed in maternal age, origin, gravidity, parity, habitual abortion, previous perinatal death, fetal distress, abruptio placentae, gestational diabetes, admission-delivery interval, cesarean section, neonate's gender, Apgar score at 5 min and neonatal sepsis. On the other hand, gestational age at delivery, birth weight and Apgar score at 1 min were significantly different between the groups.
Conclusion: An intra-uterine infection was found in two thirds of women presenting with preterm premature rupture of membranes. Women presenting with preterm premature rupture of membranes and intra-uterine infection had a lower gestational age at delivery and consequently had a lower neonatal birth weight than those without intra-uterine infection.