[Premature rupture of membranes and its relation to infection in newborn infants]

The authors made a retrospective analysis of 136 cases of premature rupture of membranes (RPM) to check for the presence of neonatal infection, anoxia, and prematurity according to the latency period between rupture of membranes and parturition. Neonatal infection due to RPM has been the cause of 8.8% of clinically and laboratorily confirmed cases; in 6.6% of the cases, laboratorial confirmation was not possible. Neonatal infection was not influenced by the latency period between RPM and parturition. Maternal symptoms of infection were more frequent in the group with latency period longer than 24 hours and there was a significant relationship between maternal infection symptoms and neonatal symptoms. Prematurity and anoxia were detected in 20% of the cases, but no relation to RPM was observed.