title: Antioxidants and preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationships of dietary intakes and serum levels of antioxidant nutrients to the risk of prelabour rupture of the membranes preterm (PPROM).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A district general hospital in the south of England.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight hundred and twelve white nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum antioxidant concentrations and dietary intakes were measured in the second trimester. Associations with the risk of PPROM were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum concentrations of the antioxidant lutein, but no other nutrient, was associated with the risk of PPROM. Maternal smoke exposure (serum cotinine) also predicted PPROM. Women with high serum lutein concentrations (top third) in early pregnancy had four times greater risk than women in the lowest third (95% CI 1.3-11.9; P= 0.009) after adjusting for smoke exposure. Similar results were obtained using lutein levels from later pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no evidence that antioxidant nutrients are protective against PPROM. Rather, high levels of lutein were associated with an increased risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000009:adverse effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014975:Lutein