Maternal and Fetal Outcomes according to the Latency Period in Preterm Premature Rupture of Membrane / 대한주산의학회잡지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and perinatal outcomes in relation to the latency period after preterm premature rupture of membrane (PPROM). METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively the 223 pregnant women with PPROM who delivered before 34 weeks of gestation in Samsung Seoul Hospital from January 1996 to October 2003. The study population was divided into six groups according to the larency from membrane rupture and delivery (group I shorter than 6 hours, group II 6~48 hours, group III 2~4 days, group IV 4~7 days, group V 7~12 days, group VI beyond 12 days). RESULTS: The mean gestational age (GA) at rupture was 29.6+/-2.6 weeks and the mean GA at delivery was 30.6+/-2.4 weeks. The median latency was 102 hours and 67% of patients delivered within 7 days. The latency was prolonged with GA at rupture before 30 weeks and used of tocolytics. After adjustment of GA at delivery, pathologic chorioamnionitis occurred more frequently in group V than group I. Respiratory distress syndrome occurred less frequently in group II and group IV than group I. Neonatal mortality rate was highest in group I, but the other neonatal morbidities were not significant differences. CONCLUSION: In PPROM with delivery before 34 weeks, prolongation of the latency longer than 6 hours seems to be beneficial for reducing neonatal RDS and mortality, but infectious morbidity seems to increase when the latency was prolonged longer than 7 days without any benefits for perinatal outcomes.