Immediate neonatal outcomes of preterm infants born to mothers with preterm pre-labour rupture of membranes.

Background & Objectives: With the use of early and appropriate use of antibiotics, outcomes have improved in the mother-infant dyads exposed to preterm pre-labour rupture of membranes (PPROM). This study was undertaken to evaluate immediate neonatal outcomes in infants born before 33 completed weeks of gestation to mothers with PPROM versus without PPROM.

Methods: During the study period from January 2013 to December 2013, a total of 182 mother-infant dyads were prospectively included in the study. Among the enrolled, 69 were in the PPROM group and 113 in the control group (no PPROM). Mother-infant dyads in PPROM group were covered with antibiotics. The primary outcome was the combined adverse neonatal outcome consisting of sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis >Stage II or pneumonia or oxygen at day 28 or cystic periventricular leucomalacia or mortality before discharge.

Results: Baseline maternal and neonatal variables were comparable across the two groups, except for higher incidence of singletons, maternal pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) in the control group and higher proportion of males, complete steroid coverage and oligohydramnios in the PPROM group. The proportion of infants with combined adverse neonatal outcome was similar between the two groups [odds ratio (OR): 1.43; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77-2.6]. Both the groups were comparable for most other neonatal morbidities and outcomes, except screen-positive sepsis (OR: 3.7; 95% CI: 1.17-11.5) which was higher in PPROM group.

Interpretation & Conclusions: Mothers with PPROM and their newborns when treated with timely and appropriate antibiotics had neonatal outcomes similar to those not exposed to PPROM.