Protocol for probiotic therapy vs placebo for preterm prelabour rupture of membranes to prolong pregnancy duration (Pro-PPROM) trial.

BACKGROUND: Preterm prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM) is a common preterm birth antecedent. Preterm infants experience increased adverse newborn outcome risks. Infection is a risk factor for early birth in PPROM. Current management is antibiotic therapy, antenatal corticosteroids and to plan delivery at 37 weeks gestation. The microbiota and probiotics are potentially protective and may improve outcomes. AIMS: The primary aim is to evaluate whether oral probiotic therapy (Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716) administered during PPROM between 24 and 34 weeks gestation prolongs pregnancy duration. The secondary aim is to evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a pragmatic, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised controlled trial in Australia. The population will be women with a singleton pregnancy and PPROM less than 34 weeks gestation. The intervention will be an oral probiotic therapy compared with a placebo control. The primary outcome will be the proportion of women still pregnant at seven days following PPROM. One-to-one randomisation will occur within 24 h of PPROM. The trial is powered (80%, alpha = 0.05) to detect an absolute percentage increase in the primary outcome of 30%, (from expected rate of 20% up to 50%). DISCUSSION: This trial will provide evidence for the effectiveness of the probiotic in prolonging pregnancy duration. Findings will inform the feasibility of a larger trial to examine the effect of oral probiotics on clinically important maternal and neonatal outcomes in PPROM.

Medical students call for national standards in anatomical education.

The diminishing number of hours dedicated to formal instruction in anatomy has led to a debate within medical education as to the level required for safe clinical practice. We provide a review of the current state of anatomical education in Australian medical schools and state the case for national standards. In light of the review presented, council members of the Australian Medical Students' Association voted to affirm that consideration should be given to developing undergraduate learning goals for anatomy, providing a codified medical student position on the teaching of anatomy in Australian medical schools. Crucially, the position states that time-intensive methods of instruction such as dissection should be a rite of passage for medical students in the absence of evidence demonstrating the superiority of modern teaching methods. We believe the bodies with a vested interest in the quality of medical graduates, namely the Australian Medical Council, Medical Deans Australia & New Zealand, and the postgraduate colleges should collaborate and develop clear guidelines that make explicit the core knowledge of anatomy expected of medical graduates at each stage of their career with a view to safe clinical practice. In addition, Australian universities have a role to play in conducting further research into contemporary learning styles and the most efficacious methods of delivering anatomical education.