Neonatal and two-year outcomes after rupture of membranes before 25 weeks of gestation

Juliana Patkai1, Thomas Schmitz, Olivia Anselem

  • 1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Groupe Hospitalier Cochin Port Royal Saint Vincent de Paul, APHP, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.

Insights

Extreme preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) before 25 weeks significantly increases adverse neonatal outcomes. Infants exposed to PPROM also face higher risks of developmental delays and behavioral issues at two years.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Neonatology
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Extreme preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) before 25 weeks gestation presents significant challenges in perinatal care.
  • Understanding the long-term impact of PPROM on preterm infant outcomes is crucial for clinical management and parental counseling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of PPROM at less than 25 weeks gestation on neonatal and two-year child outcomes.
  • To compare outcomes of infants with extreme PPROM to a matched control group.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care center in Paris, France (2003-2007).
  • Inclusion criteria: singleton pregnancies with PPROM between 15 and 24 weeks gestation.
  • Control group: matched neonates born after spontaneous preterm labor with intact membranes.

Main Results:

  • 22 live births occurred among 78 cases of extreme PPROM, with a mean gestational age of 26 5/7 weeks.
  • Adverse neonatal outcomes were significantly higher in the PPROM group (68.2%) compared to controls (27.3%).
  • At two years, PPROM infants showed increased delayed acquisitions (64.3% vs 15.8%), behavioral disorders (57.1% vs 15.8%), and lower language scores (78.9 vs 96.8).

Conclusions:

  • PPROM before 25 weeks is linked to increased neonatal mortality and morbidity.
  • Infants exposed to extreme PPROM face elevated risks of developmental delays, behavioral disorders, and impaired language development at two years.
  • These findings underscore the severe consequences of early PPROM and the need for specialized follow-up care.
Abstract