ABSTRACT
The study was conducted upon 75 pregnant women delivering by caesarean section [CS] route. Group I [n=25] included preterm premature rupture of membranes [PROM] cases [20-37 wks of gestation], Group II [n=25] included full term PROM cases [38-42 wks], Group III [n=25] included the controls who were full term with intact membranes submitted to elective CS. Routine bacteriologic culture, chlamydial LPS and mycoplasmal detection and IL-1beta estimation of amniotic fluid samples revealed a significantly elevated IL-1beta values among preterm PROM cases with positive bacterial culture compared to negative culture cases. Also full term PROM cases revealed significantly elevated IL-1beta values among positive chlamydial amniotic fluid samples. To conclude IL-1beta could be a potential marker in infection induced PROM cases. Further studies arc warranted to clarify the role of IL-1beta receptor antagonist as a causal therapy in PROM cases