Antioxidants and preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationships of dietary intakes and serum levels of antioxidant nutrients to the risk of prelabour rupture of the membranes preterm (PPROM).

DESIGN

A prospective observational cohort study.

SETTING

A district general hospital in the south of England.

POPULATION: Eight hundred and twelve white nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies.

METHODS

Serum antioxidant concentrations and dietary intakes were measured in the second trimester. Associations with the risk of PPROM were investigated.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes.

RESULT: Serum concentrations of the antioxidant lutein, but no other nutrient, was associated with the risk of PPROM. Maternal smoke exposure (serum cotinine) also predicted PPROM. Women with high serum lutein concentrations (top third) in early pregnancy had four times greater risk than women in the lowest third (95% CI 1.3-11.9; P= 0.009) after adjusting for smoke exposure. Similar results were obtained using lutein levels from later pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

We found no evidence that antioxidant nutrients are protective against PPROM. Rather, high levels of lutein were associated with an increased risk.