Vaginal pool phospholipids in the management of premature rupture of membranes

Clinical utility of vaginal pool amniotic fluid assessment in premature rupture of the membranes was prospectively studied in 214 patients between July 1, 1978, and June 30, 1981. We used a policy of nonintervention in patients with premature rupture of the membranes prior to 36 weeks' gestation. Vaginal samples collected on admission and daily thereafter were analyzed for phospholipids. Patients underwent delivery for any one of these conditions: (1) presence of phosphatidylglycerol, (2) spontaneous labor, or (3) sepsis. One hundred sixty-seven patients had no phosphatidylglycerol initially. Thirty-six of these acquired phosphatidylglycerol, and none had respiratory distress syndrome. Eight patients underwent delivery because of signs of sepsis in the mother, but all infants of septic mothers survived. The newborn infants of 49 patients developed the respiratory distress syndrome, and among these there were six deaths, with no maternal deaths. We believe that these results confirm the value of phosphatidylglycerol in patients with premature rupture of the membranes, and that delay in patients from premature rupture of the membranes results in few infections and a significant decrease in the respiratory distress syndrome.