Aerobic microbiological study in term pregnant women with premature rupture of the membranes: a case-control study

To determine the aerobic microorganisms related to premature rupture of the membranes (PROM) in term pregnant women, a case-controlled study was performed on pregnant women delivered at Rajavithi Hospital between November 1, 1996 and July 30, 1997. Two hundred and twenty pregnant women with PROM and 220 pregnant women without PROM were recruited by simple random sampling. The diagnosis of rupture of the membrane was made by history and by positive microscopic ferning and pH testing performed during speculum examination. The demographic characteristics were not statistically significantly different between both groups. We could not isolate any organisms (35.9% in the study group and 49.5% in the control group). Candida albicans and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the only two significant differences demonstrated between the study and control group (p<0.05). Candida albicans, the most prevalent organism in the study group, demonstrated significant difference between the study and control group (14.5% and 7.7% respectively) (p<0.05). Klebsiella pneumoniae demonstrated significant difference between the study and control group (7.30% and 4.10% respectively) (p<0.05). Gardnerella vaginalis, the most prevalent organism in the control group, showed no significant difference between the control and study group (16.40% and 14.10% respectively) (p=0.547).