[Clinical aspects of premature rupture of the membranes]

In this study all deliveries with premature rupture of the membranes (VBS) between 1978 and the midst of 1981 were compared and statistically analysed using a control collective, which consisted of the sum of the respective following delivery. A premature rupture of the membranes was found in 18.1 per cent. We observed a VBS more often in case of increasing age of the mother and significantly more often for primiparae. An infection of the urinary tract seemed to increase the risk of an VBS. The latent period is longer, if the VBS occurred in the early pregnancy. There was no difference between both groups according to the course of birth, the frequency of KPDA, the pressing period and the period of dilatation. Complications with the umbilical cord could not be found more often in the collective of premature rupture of the membranes than in the control group. The umbilical cord prolapse even was rarer in case of premature rupture of the membranes. Difficulties in adaptation and the respiratory distress syndrome could be found significantly more often in the group of VBS, according to the higher rate of premature children in this collective. The possible stimulating effect of the VBS on the induction of the fetal lung maturity was reserved by the higher rate of neonatal infections in case of longer latent periods. We found the amnion infection syndrome in 2.1 per cent if the latent period was less than 24 hours, 10.7 per cent if it was longer than 48 hours and more than 15 per cent if it was 72 hours and more.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)