Affiliations: Department of Neonatology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany | Department of ENT, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany | Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universitiy of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Stephanie Siebert, Department of Neonatology, University of Bonn, Adenauerallee 119, 53113 Bonn, Germany. Tel.: +49 228 287 33408; Fax: +49 228 287 33296; E-mail: stephanie.siebert@ukb.uni-bonn.de These authors contributed equally to this project and should be considered co-first authors.
Note: [] These authors contributed equally to this project and should be considered co-first authors.
Abstract: Objective: To assess neonatal mortality and morbidity after preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) before 24 weeks of gestation. Study design: Retrospective study including live born infants with PPROM before 24 weeks of gestation born at Bonn University Hospital 1994–2002 with a gestational age <23 ± 2 weeks. Results: 69 neonates with PPROM at a median gestational age of 21 weeks were studied. Median latency period to delivery was 53 days, median gestational age at delivery was 27 ± 4 weeks. Overall postnatal survival was 72.5%. In 30.4% chorioamnionitis was diagnosed at birth. 44.9% developed primary sepsis. 69.6% showed respiratory distress syndrome, 14.5% had lung hypoplasia. In 34% of neonates surviving the first month, bronchopulmonary dyplasia was diagnosed. Intraventricular hemorrhage of all grades appeared in 37.7%. Rates of necrotizing enterocolitis (7.2%) and joint contractions (11.6%) were low. Conclusion: Rates of chorioamnionitis, pulmonary and cerebral complications were high in children with PPROM before 24 weeks of gestation.
Keywords: Neonatal morbidity, neonatal mortality, preterm premature rupture of the membranes, preterm infants
