The correlation between prelabour rupture of the membranes and neonatal infectious diseases, and the evaluation of guideline implementation in China: a multi-centre prospective cohort study.

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of prelabour rupture of membranes (PROM) in China and to assess the association between clinical practice following the guidelines and early neonatal infections.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 15926 deliveries in ShenZhen Baoan Women's and Children's Hospital, Xibei Women's and Children's Hospital and Chengdu Women's and Children's Hospital between August 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018. Clinical data were collected for each participant. The epidemiology of PROM was described. The association between PROM with early neonatal infectious outcomes and the influence of the implementation of the guideline on early neonatal infectious outcomes were assessed.

Findings: The incidence of PROM was 18•7%. PROM was showed to be a risk factor for neonatal infectious diseases (adjusted OR 1•92, 95%CI 1•49~2•49, <0•0001), early-onset pneumonia (EOP) (adjusted OR 1•81, 95%CI 1•29~2•53, =0•0006) and early-onset sepsis(EOS) (adjusted OR 14•56, 95%CI 1•90~111•67, =0•01) for term neonates. For term neonates born from mother with PROM, induction of labor according to the guideline was a protective factor for neonatal diseases(adjusted OR 0•50, 95%CI 0•25~1•00, =0•00498) and EOP(adjusted OR 0•32, 95%CI 0•11~0•91, =0•03). For preterm neonates born from mother with PROM, using antibiotics according to the guideline showed to be protective for neonatal infectious diseases (adjusted OR 0•14, 95%CI 0•09~0•23, <0•0001) and EOP (adjusted OR 0•08, 95%CI 0•04~0•14, <0•0001).

Interpretation: Our study showed the risk of PROM for infectious diseases (including EOP and EOS) and the benefit of the usage of antibiotics according to the guideline for infectious diseases and EOP for preterm neonates.

Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Capital Medical Development Research Fund of Beijing.