[Study of amniotic fluid bacterial colonization sampled by amniocentesis in cases with premature rupture of...

To determine the relationship between bacterial colonization of the amniotic fluid sampled by amniocentesis and premature rupture of the membranes.

A prospective multicentric study conducted over a one year period in 6 maternity wards in the suburban area of Paris. Thirty-six women with premature rupture of the membranes were studied.

There were 11 patients (30%) with contaminated fluid at the first amniocentesis. Twenty-five patients had sterile fluid. In 7 patients with prolonged rupture for more than one week, repeated amniocentesis. Twenty-five patients had sterile fluid. In 7 patients with prolonged rupture for more than one week, repeated amniocenteses were used to follow bacterial colonization. In one patient, Proteus mirabilis in the amniotic fluid was eradicated by adapted antibiotic therapy. In patients with sterile amniotic fluid, there was no secondary colonization. In the 11 cases with colonized liquid, the vaginal swab could only be considered as positive in 4 cases. Amniocentesis was able to discover 7 bacterial colonizations of the amniotic fluid in patients with an indeterminant vaginal swab. Likewise, C-reactive protein levels were raised only in 26% of the cases with a colonized amniotic fluid.