Preterm premature rupture of membranes: clinical outcomes of late-preterm infants.
OBJECTIVE
To determine gestational age-specific neonatal outcomes of late preterm infants delivered as a consequence of premature rupture of membranes (PROM).


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study of infants born to women delivered electively due to preterm PROM between 34(0/7) and 36(6/7) weeks of gestation. Neonatal outcomes were compared between those delivered at 34(0/7) to 34( 6/7) weeks, at 35(0/7) to 35(6/7) weeks, and at 36( 0/7) to 36(6/7) weeks.


RESULTS
192 infants were identified. The 34(0/7) to 34(6/7) week infants had significantly higher neonatal intensive care admission rate (72.5%) compared to those at 35( 0/7) to 35(6/7) weeks (22.8%) and at 36 to 36(6/7) weeks (17.8%) (P < .05). Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome was significantly higher at 34(0/7) to 34(6/7) weeks (35.4%) compared with 35(0/7) to 35(6/7) week and 36(0/7) to 36( 6/7) week infants (10.5% and 4.1%; P < .05). The longest hospitalization occurred in the 34(0/7) to 34(6/7) week infants (248.5 +/- 20.0 hours).


CONCLUSIONS
Substantial short-term morbidity occurred in late preterm infants. The greatest number of complications affected infants born at 34(0/7) to 34(6/7) weeks.
Mateus
Julio
J
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0587, USA. jfmateus@utmb.edu
Fox
Karin
K
Jain
Sangeeta
S
Jain
Sunil
S
Latta
Richard
R
Cohen
Jerry
J
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies