[Histology of chorioamnionitis: relations to maternal and fetal infection parameters]

With regard to clinical diagnosis and prognosis, intrauterine infection continues to pose major problems for obstetricians. In recent years serum assay of CRP, an acute phase protein, has become firmly established in the obstetric management of premature rupture. We investigated the relationship between histologically confirmed chorioamnionitis and maternal and fetal inflammation parameters in 69 patients on the basis of inflammation of the membranes, placenta and cord occurring in histomorphologic stages. Our results show the C-reactive protein to be a sensitive and specific indicator of chorioamnionitis and closely correlated with both the histologic stage and the severity of the chorioamnionitis. We therefore advocate adoption of the histologic result as the "gold standard" for evaluating subclinical and clinically manifest forms of intrauterine infection.