title: Pregnancy outcome after expectant management of premature rupture of the membranes in the second trimester.
abstract: Because management of premature rupture of the membranes (PROM) at or before 26 weeks is controversial, we examined maternal and perinatal outcome after expectant management of 44 pregnancies complicated by this problem. Mean gestational age at preterm PROM was 23.9 +/- 1.7 (SD) weeks. The latency period between preterm PROM and delivery ranged from 1 to 68 days, with a medium of 6. Of the patients, 54.6% delivered within a week of PROM, and 79.5% delivered by four weeks; 77.2% developed chorioamnionitis, but despite this high incidence, there was no maternal sepsis or pelvic thrombophlebitis, and no maternal surgery was necessary. Perinatal outcome was 60.5% neonatal survival, 54.2% perinatal survival and a stillbirth rate of 10.4%. Respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis and intraventricular hemorrhage were common types of neonatal morbidity. There was no pulmonary hypoplasia, and limb deformity was seen in only two neonates. Costs of expectant management in pregnancies complicated by second-trimester PROM were estimated, and a strategy to reduce cost is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chicago Lying-in Hospital, Illinois 60637.
authors.forename: J U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Hibbard
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hibbard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arendt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001510:Bed Rest; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000295:instrumentation; D016104:Oligohydramnios / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents