Predictors of delivery at 48 hours or more in pregnant women with preterm prelabor rupture of membrane: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Objective

Expectant management is an option for preterm prelabor rupture of the membrane (PPROM) between 34 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks of gestation. Even though expectant delivery in PPROM is justified, there is limited data on predictors of PPROM delivered > 48 hrs in a real-world setting. Therefore, this study aimed to find clinical predictors for delivery > 48 hrs in women with PPROM as well as clinical outcomes in clinical practice.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at two tertiary care hospitals. The inclusion criteria were a singleton pregnancy with PPROM and planned expectant management. Clinical data were retrieved from the hospitals’ databases. Eligible pregnant women were categorized into two groups: PPROM delivered < 48 hrs or PPROM delivered > 48 hrs. The primary outcome was factors predictive of PPROM delivered > 48 hrs.

Results

During the study period, 519 pregnant women met the study criteria. Of those, 90 pregnant women (17.34 %) had PPROM delivered > 48 hrs. Factors independently associated with PPROM delivered > 48 hrs were maternal age ≥ 19 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.95, 95 % CI [0.91, 0.99]) and oligohydramnios (aOR 2.41, 95 % CI [1.45, 4.00]). Regarding maternal and neonatal outcomes, the PPROM delivered > 48 hrs group had lower neonatal birth weights (2245 g vs. 2490 g; p < 0.001) than the PPROM delivered < 48 hrs group. However, neonatal outcomes, including respiratory distress, sepsis, neonatal intensive care unit admission, early jaundice, hypoglycemia, positive pressure ventilation, and early respiratory support, were not different.

Conclusions

Clinical predictors for PPROM delivered > 48 hrs in a real-world setting were maternal age and presence of oligohydramnios. Maternal and neonatal outcomes in the PPROM delivered > 48 hrs were almost comparable with the PPROM delivered < 48 hrs. PPROM delivered > 48 hrs may be safe and can be a treatment option for PPROM. However, further studies may be required in terms of generalizability as this study was conducted retrospectively in tertiary care hospitals in Thailand.