Retrospective cohort study: a comparison of two different management strategies in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes.

PURPOSE: Perinatal outcomes were compared before and after changes in the treatment policy to improve the management for preterm PROM (pPROM).

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of 99 cases of pPROM diagnosed between 27 and 34 weeks of gestation, which were managed according to the following two different protocols. Group A (47 cases): tocolytic therapy was continued to prevent preterm delivery until clinical chorioamnionitis (CAM) was diagnosed between January 2000 and June 2004. Group B (52 cases): labor was induced or cesarean section performed when oligohydramnios was diagnosed and/or elevation elastase (EL) of amnion was detected by amniocentesis between July 2004 and July 2009. The outcomes of the cases in each group were compared with regard to the extension of pregnancy period, reasons for delivery, perinatal complications, stage of pathological CAM and funisitis (FUN), neonatal serum IgM concentration, mortality, and morbidity.

RESULTS

The incidences of pathological CAM and FUN were significantly lower in Group B than in Group A. The concentration of neonatal serum IgM was also significantly lower in Group B than in Group A.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of oligohydramnios and elevation EL of amnion as indicative factors of intrauterine infection might lead to a reduction in the severity of fetal infection in cases of pPROM.