OBJECTIVE: To determine the best management for women with premature rupture of membranes at term. METHOD: In 2008, 579 women admitted to Peking University First Hospital for premature rupture of membranes (PROM) at term were allocated to one of 3 groups. Group 1 (n=292) consisted of those whose labor began spontaneously within 12 hours of PROM; group 2 (n=234), of those whose labor did not begin within 12 hours of PROM and were induced with oxytocin; and group 3 (n=53), of those who accepted a cesarean delivery immediately after PROM was diagnosed. The χ(2) test was used to compare the rates of intrauterine and neonatal infection in these 3 groups. RESULTS: Compared with the intrauterine and neonatal infection rates for group 1 (3.4% and 13.7%) and group 3 (1.9% and 3.8%), the corresponding rates were higher for group 2 (10.7% and 21.8%) (P<0.05). In group 2, 76.5% of the women began labor within 24 hours of induction and 92.7% of these within 12 hours. CONCLUSION: In women at term, induction should be performed immediately after PROM is diagnosed, as it is likely to fail when labor does not begin within 12 hours of oxytocin administration.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the best management for women with premature rupture of membranes at term. METHOD: In 2008, 579 women admitted to Peking University First Hospital for premature rupture of membranes (PROM) at term were allocated to one of 3 groups. Group 1 (n=292) consisted of those whose labor began spontaneously within 12 hours of PROM; group 2 (n=234), of those whose labor did not begin within 12 hours of PROM and were induced with oxytocin; and group 3 (n=53), of those who accepted a cesarean delivery immediately after PROM was diagnosed. The χ(2) test was used to compare the rates of intrauterine and neonatal infection in these 3 groups. RESULTS: Compared with the intrauterine and neonatal infection rates for group 1 (3.4% and 13.7%) and group 3 (1.9% and 3.8%), the corresponding rates were higher for group 2 (10.7% and 21.8%) (P<0.05). In group 2, 76.5% of the women began labor within 24 hours of induction and 92.7% of these within 12 hours. CONCLUSION: In women at term, induction should be performed immediately after PROM is diagnosed, as it is likely to fail when labor does not begin within 12 hours of oxytocin administration.