title: Risk of impending preterm delivery associated with the presence of amniotic fluid sludge in women in preterm labor with intact membranes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association of amniotic fluid sludge with impending preterm delivery in women in preterm labor with intact membranes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective cohort study in women at 22-34 weeks' gestation in preterm labor with intact fetal membranes between February 2008 and May 2009. 16 women with amniotic sludge were identified. Each case of amniotic sludge was matched with 3 randomly selected controls. The primary outcome was delivery within 48 h of examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean cervical length was shorter in women with sludge than women without sludge (20.5 ± 9.0 vs. 27.9 ± 6.9 mm, p = 0.0016). There was a significant difference in the mean ultrasound-to-delivery interval in women with and without sludge (21.7 vs. 49.4 days, p = 0.006). Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that amniotic fluid sludge is a strong independent predictor of impending preterm delivery within 48 h (OR 11.2, 95% CI 1.2-125.9), 7 days (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.2-17.3) and 14 days (OR 7.5, 95% CI 1.8-30.4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amniotic fluid sludge on ultrasound scan is associated with impending preterm delivery in women in preterm labor with intact membranes.
authors.affiliation: Fetal Medicine Unit, Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima, Peru. walterichard@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: Conny
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nazario
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ingar
authors.forename: Erasmo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Huertas
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Limay
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Castillo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054791:Cervical Length Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors