title: Premature rupture of membranes prior to 34 weeks gestational age. One year experience at a tertiary center.
abstract: Records were reviewed of all patients with premature rupture of the membranes (PROM) at or less than 34 weeks estimated gestational age (EGA) who delivered at University Hospital of Jacksonville, Florida, during 1987. That year 132 patients were identified, 3.1% of all deliveries. The mean time from membrane rupture to delivery was three days, and the duration of PROM seven or more days in 9% of cases. Chorioamnionitis was diagnosed in 20% of the mothers. Delivery was by cesarean section in 30% of cases, twice the primary rate at University Hospital for 1987. Sixty-five percent of infants were male, and 13 males and four females of the 132 infants died before or after birth, the majority due to prematurity. Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) was found in 35 infants and in 80% of these cases the membrane ruptured at 30 weeks or less. Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) was diagnosed in 8% of cases. Neonatal sepsis was a common diagnosis (41% of deliveries) with incidence being similar at all gestational ages. The length of membrane rupture was not statistically significant when compared with neonatal sepsis (P = 0.39).
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Ramos
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Benrubi
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors