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Abstract Rsum
Objective: To correlate maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnancies Objectif: Chercher tablir une corrlation entre les issues
affected by preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) at maternelles et ftales de grossesses affectes par la rupture
< 24 weeks gestational age with the amount of residual amniotic prmature des membranes prterme (RPMP) un ge
fluid as determined by sonographic evaluation. gestationnel < 24semaines et la quantit de liquide amniotique
rsiduel dtermine par valuation chographique.
Methods: We searched the local maternal-fetal medicine database
for the records of all women with PPROM prior to 24 completed Mthodes: Nous avons men des recherches dans la base de
weeks of pregnancy. The quantity of residual amniotic fluid donnes locale de mdecine fto-maternelle afin den tirer
les dossiers de toutes les femmes ayant prsent une RPMP
determined by ultrasound was recorded and women were
avant 24semaines compltes de grossesse. La quantit de
separated into two groups: (A) deepest vertical pocket (DVP)
liquide amniotique rsiduel dtermine par chographie a t
1 cm, or (B) DVP < 1 cm (severe oligohydramnios). Hospital
consigne et les femmes ont t rparties en deux groupes:
chart review was undertaken to determine latency to delivery, (A) poche verticale la plus profonde (PVP) 1cm ou
perinatal death, and maternal complications. Data were analyzed (B) PVP < 1cm (oligohydramnios grave). Une analyse des
using Fisher exact and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U tests. dossiers hospitaliers a t mene afin de dterminer le dlai
Results: We identified 31 subjects, of whom nine elected termination avant laccouchement, la prsence dun dcs prinatal et
of pregnancy (6 in group A, 3 in group B). Six of 10 subjects in la survenue de complications maternelles. Les donnes ont
group A had a live delivery without neonatal death, whereas only t analyses au moyen du test exact de Fisher et du test de
one of 12 subjects in group B had a live delivery (P = 0.020). Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U.
Additional complications included placental abruption in 63% Rsultats: Nous avons identifi 31 sujets, neuf desquels ont choisi
in group A and 45% in group B, chorioamnionitis in 50% and linterruption de grossesse (6 du groupe A, 3 du groupe B).
70%, respectively, and postpartum endometritis in 0% and Six sujets du groupe A sur 10 ont donn lieu une naissance
9%, respectively. None of these differences were statistically vivante sans dcs nonatal, tandis que cela na t le cas
significant. There were no cases of maternal sepsis or maternal que chez un sujet du groupe B sur 12 (P = 0,020). Parmi les
death in either group. Group A was associated with a later GA complications additionnelles, on trouvait le dcollement placentaire
at delivery (27.5 weeks vs. 23 weeks, P = 0.07), with the GA at chez 63% des sujets du groupe A et 45% des sujets du
rupture of the membranes similar for both groups. groupe B, la chorioamnionite (50% et 70%, respectivement) et
lendomtrite postpartum (0% et 9%, respectivement). Aucune
Conclusion: These results indicate that a higher level of residual de ces diffrences ne sest avre significative sur le plan clinique.
amniotic fluid after periviable PPROM is associated with fetal Aucun cas de septicmie maternelle ou de dcs maternel na t
survival and increased latency to delivery without an increase constat au sein des groupes. Le groupe A a t associ un AG
in maternal complications. This information will be valuable in plus avanc au moment de laccouchement (27,5semaines, par
counselling pregnant women with PPROM < 24 weeks. comp. avec 23semaines, P = 0,07), lAG au moment de la rupture
des membranes tant similaire dans les deux groupes.
Conclusion: Ces rsultats indiquent quun niveau accru de liquide
Key Words: Periviable preterm premature rupture of membranes, amniotique rsiduel la suite dune RPMP priviable est associ
amniotic fluid, perinatal survival la survie ftale et un dlai accru avant laccouchement, sans
augmentation de la frquence des complications maternelles.
Competing Interests: None declared. Cette information savrera utile dans le cadre du counseling des
Received on July 21, 2011 femmes enceintes prsentant une RPMP < 24semaines.
generally results in good maternal and fetal outcomes.1 One clinical variable which may assist in the counselling
Periviable PPROM occurs in 0.4% of continuing of these patients is the residual amniotic fluid volume as
pregnancies, and is defined as rupture of membranes prior determined by ultrasound. Hadi et al., in a prospective
to the age of fetal viability, but after most spontaneous cohort of 178 singleton pregnancies complicated by
abortions have occurred (14 to 24 gestational weeks).2 PPROM at 20 to 25 weeks gestational age, found that the
Perinatal outcomes in these cases have been reported as presence or absence of amniotic fluid was associated with
poor, mainly due to secondary deformational pulmonary latency to labour.9 However, their study excluded PPROM
hypoplasia, although neurological complications, infection, before 20 weeks gestation, included amniotic fluid levels
and congenital malformations have also been described.2,3 measured throughout pregnancy, and excluded all cases
Furthermore, maternal health following periviable PPROM with latency to labour of less than seven days. They found
may be compromised due to the risks of chorioamnionitis, that the frequency of chorioamnionitis was higher (33.8%
sepsis, placental abruption, and complications of vs. 21.5%, P = 0.07) and perinatal survival was lower
immobility.4 (9.9% vs. 85%, P <0.01) in patients with oligohydramnios
(defined as ultrasonographic measurement of the deepest
Many factors are important when counselling the pregnant
patient with periviable PPROM, including gestational age, vertical pocket of amniotic fluid as <2cm) than in
latency to delivery, and risks of expectant management, patients without oligohydramnios. Kilbride et al. compared
given the high rate of associated complications. Data on survivors and non-survivors following periviable PPROM.3
maternal/neonatal morbidity, fetal/neonatal mortality, and They found that non-survivors, in addition to being
fetal treatment are limited, because studies are generally less mature than survivors, having a longer duration of
small and differ in their inclusion and exclusion criteria. PPROM, and lower birth weights, were more likely to have
Dewan and Morris, in a systematic review of PPROM severe oligohydramnios, defined as < 1 cm vertical pocket
<23 weeks between the years 1980 to 1994, reported a on ultrasonographic measurement of amniotic fluid.
20% perinatal survival rate.5 Although neonatal care has The finding of improved outcomes with higher levels of
advanced, periviable PPROM has typically been associated amniotic fluid has been confirmed in women with PPROM
with a very poor prognosis, and many patients are at later gestations as well.10
counselled to consider termination of pregnancy.
The primary objective of this study was to correlate both
More recently, advances in both antenatal and neonatal the average latency to delivery at the time of PPROM and
care (including antenatal corticosteroid use, antibiotic perinatal mortality (fetal death or neonatal death within
use, use of postnatal surfactant, and neonatal gentle 30 days of life) with the level of residual amniotic fluid,
ventilation strategies) have allowed the definition of fetal as measured by 2-D ultrasound. Secondary outcomes
viability to be revisited and the outcome for periviable included the incidence of chorioamnionitis, placental
PPROM to be questioned.28 Everest et al. reported a abruption, postpartum endometritis, retained placenta,
55.7% survival rate after conservative management of maternal sepsis, and death in cases of periviable PPROM.
periviable PPROM.6
METHODS
To counsel patients in the setting of periviable PPROM
appropriately, it is essential to present the best available We evaluated the outcomes of singleton pregnancies
options, including the risks and potential complications, with rupture of membranes prior to 24 weeks of
using pertinent and centre-based outcome data. Fifty gestation and with a minimal latency to delivery of
percent of pregnancies complicated by periviable PPROM 48 hours, occurring between January 1, 2002, and
deliver within seven days, with the majority delivering January 15, 2011, in a retrospective cohort study.
Gestational age was determined by last menstrual
period and confirmed when possible by first trimester
ABBREVIATIONS ultrasound. Rupture of membranes was diagnosed by
DVP deepest vertical pocket clinical history in combination with a sterile speculum
PPROM preterm premature rupture of membranes examination demonstrating vaginal pooling of amniotic
Table 1. Subject demographics by group categorical variables and the Wilcoxon rank sum test for
DVP DVP
continuous variables. Because of the small sample size
Parameter < 1 cm 1 cm and descriptive nature, P<0.10 was deemed statistically
Number 18 13 significant.
Terminations 06 03
This study was approved by the Conjoint Health Research
Expectant management 12 10
Ethics Board at the University of Calgary.
RESULTS
Table 2. Primary endpoints
Both DVP DVP
A total of 31 pregnancies met the inclusion criteria
Primary endpoints groups < 1 cm 1 cm P for evaluation. Following sonographic evaluation
Latency, days 18 13 57 0.014 and counselling, nine subjects elected for pregnancy
Perinatal survival, n (%) 7 (31.8) 1 (8.3) 6 (60) 0.02 termination, six in the DVP < 1 cm group and three in the
DVP 1cm group (Table1). For analysis of subjects who
followed expectant management, there were 12 patients in
the DVP <1cm group and 10 in the DVP 1cm group.
Table 3. Maternal complications
DVP DVP
The primary endpoints of this study are summarized in
Complication < 1 cm, % 1 cm, % P Table 2. There were statistically significant differences both
Chorioamnionitis 70 50 0.63 in latency to delivery and in perinatal mortality between the
Endometritis 09 00 N/A two groups. The overall survival rate was 31.8% and mean
Placental abruption 45 63 0.65 latency to delivery was 43 days. Mean latency to delivery
Retained placenta 20 22 > 0.99
in the DVP <1cm group was 32 days, in contrast to
57 days in the DVP 1cm group (P=0.014). Further-
more, survival was more than seven-fold increased in the
DVP 1cm group over the DVP <1cm group (60% vs.
fluid and microscopic identification of a ferning pattern. 8.3 %, P = 0.02).
Subjects who presented with chorioamnionitis (fever,
The mean gestational age at the time of rupture of
abdominal pain, and fetal tachycardia), fetal demise, or
membranes was 18.5 weeks and at the time of delivery was
active labour (uterine contractions with cervical dilatation)
25 weeks. The mean gestational age at rupture of membranes
at the time of PPROM were excluded from the study.
and at time of delivery for both groups is shown in the
Multiple gestations, PPROM following amniocentesis or
Figure. There was no significant difference in gestational
chorionic villus sampling, or any pregnancies with a pre-
age at rupture of membranes between the DVP < 1 cm
existing diagnosis of major congenital or chromosomal
and DVP 1 cm groups (18 and 19 weeks respectively).
abnormalities were also excluded.
However, gestational age at time of delivery was, on average,
Patients with PPROM were referred to the Southern 4.5 weeks later in the DVP 1cm group than in the DVP
Alberta Centre for Maternal-Fetal Medicine for evaluation <1cm group (27.5 weeks vs. 22.9 weeks, P=0.07).
and counselling. The local maternalfetal medicine
Perinatal complications were assessed (Table3). Seventy
electronic database was searched to retrieve the records
percent of patients in the DVP <1cm group and 50%
of PPROM cases and to review sonographic findings
of patients in the DVP 1cm group experienced
including residual amniotic fluid volume. Cases were
chorioamnionitis. Similarly, 9% of patients in the DVP
separated into two groups:
<1cm group had postpartum endometritis, but none of
A residual amniotic fluid demonstrating a deepest the patients in the DVP 1cm group did. These differences
vertical pocket 1cm, and were not statistically significant. Placental abruption occurred
B residual amniotic fluid DVP <1cm (severe in 45% of the DVP <1cm group and in 63% of the DVP
oligohydramnios). 1cm group. Rates of retained placenta were similar in
the two groups (20% and 22%, respectively). There were
Perinatal and maternal outcomes were determined from no cases of maternal sepsis or death recorded during the
manual chart review at the delivery hospital. Bivariate study. Overall, there were no statistical differences between
associations were assessed using the Fisher exact test for the two groups with regard to maternal complications.