Increased Risk of Neonatal Pneumonia in Pregnant Women with Atypical Pre-Labor Rupture of Membrane Assessed at Pregnancy Week 39

Purpose: Neonatal pneumonia is a major newborn disease with a high morbidity rate. We aimed to evaluate whether atypical prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM) is a high-risk factor for causing neonatal pneumonia in a prospective real-world study. Patients and Methods: A total of 250 pregnant women at pregnancy week 39 were non-selectively recruited. All were examined by PROM and neonatal pneumonia related clinical, bedside and lab tests, including body temperature, blood pressure, increased vagina discharge, posterior vault pooling, abdominal tenderness, WBC count, nitrazine test, amniotic fluid index, Leakection (a sICAM-1 based lateral flow immunoassay) and vagina streptococcus examinations. Increased vagina discharge with a Leakection positivity was adopted as a working criterium for identifying atypical PROM. Neonatal pneumonia was diagnosed based on the clinical presentation and lab tests. Results: Twenty cases of neonatal pneumonia (8.0%) were diagnosed after the deliveries of the 250 pregnant women. In these neonatal pneumonia cases, 12 (16.7%) occurred in 72 deliveries with atypical PROM, 2 (16.7%) in 12 deliveries with typical PROM, and 6 (3.6%) in 166 deliveries with non-PROM. Conclusion: In this real-world study, we find that a systematic screening at pregnancy week 39 was very meaningful in revealing atypical PROM. Moreover, atypical PROM is a major risk factor for neonatal pneumonia. Therefore, an early diagnosis and intervention on atypical PROM could potentially reduce the occurrence of neonatal pneumonia.

Successful Deliveries of Twins from Two Pregnant Women Following Preterm Prelabor Rupture of Membranes in the Early Second-Trimester Pregnancy

The management of preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) before 34 weeks of gestation is intractable, due to pulmonary immaturity, many complications, poor pregnancy outcomes. In particular, the pre-viable PPROM (<23 weeks of gestation) is much more difficult to be treated. The clinical recommendation is to terminate the pregnancy as soon as possible. The pregnancy outcomes of PPROM in the early second-trimester of two twin pregnant women in our hospital were reported to explore the treatment protocols. The pregnancies of the two women developed PROM at 12 and 16 weeks of gestation, respectively. After expectant treatment, they were deliveried successfully at 34+6 and 34+4 weeks of gestation, respectively. The assessment of growth and development of infants was normal during the following six months after birth. Therefore, if PPROM occurs in the early second-trimester of pregnancy, the management of PPROM should be individualized, it’s a long process which should include comprehensive communication between patients and families regarding alternative treatment options (including expectant management) and risks and benefits of the procedure. In the absence of spontaneous labor or occurrence of complications that would prompt delivery (intra-amniotic infection, abruptio placenta, cord prolapse), and fetal status is normal, the patients should proceed with expectant treatment, induction of labor is commonly performed in pregnancies with PPROM ≥34 weeks of gestation.

Accuracy of Transvaginal Ultrasound in Prediction of Latency Period in Women with Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes

Background: Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) is a major cause of Pretem Birth (PTB), Pretem Birth (PTB) is the most significant cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cervical length (CL), posterior uterocervical angle (PUCA) and anterior uterocervical angle (AUCA) have been postulated in several studies to have an important role in prediction of PTB. Up to our knowledge, this is the first study that combines the three cervical parameters in prediction of latency period in women with PPROM. Aim of the Work: To assess the accuracy of cervical length, posterior uterocervical angle and anterior uterocervical angle in prediction of latency period in women with Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes. Subjects and Methods: A Prospective cohort study on 205 women with PPROM was held at Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital, a transvaginal ultrasound was performed to measure cervical length, posterior uterocervical angle, anterior uterocervical angle. Results: A total of 205 pregnant women with PPROM were included in this study, the latency grade was within 2 days in 57 (27.8%) of cases while was after 2 days in 148 (72.2%) of cases. As regards cervical length cut-off value 25.0 mm, sensitivity was 78.9%, specificity was 65.5%, posterior uterocervical angle cut-off value 108.0°, sensitivity was 93.0%, specificity was 60.1%, and anterior uterocervical angle cut-off value 106.0°, sensitivity was 93.0%, specificity was 71.6%. Conclusion: The combination of cervical length (CL), posterior uterocervical angle (PUCA) and anterior uterocervical angle (AUCA) measurements greatly predicts the latency period in women with PPROM, and Anterior uterocervical angle (AUCA) ≥ 106.0° had the highest diagnostic value in predicting latency period within two days.