Histological severity of fetal inflammation is useful in predicting neonatal outcome.

Intrauterine inflammation contributes to neonatal infection-related morbidity. A new histological framework of placental inflammation has recently been proposed; however, the association between this method and clinical findings has not been defined. To assess the clinical relevance of this system, we studied placental findings in 272 singleton neonates born at less than 34 weeks gestation. The incidences of sepsis, intraventricular hemorrhage, chronic lung disease, and necrotizing enterocolitis increased in a stepwise fashion with severity of placental inflammation. After adjusting for gestational age, a high grade of fetal inflammation was significantly associated with chronic lung disease and necrotizing enterocolitis.