Association of respiratory distress syndrome and perinatal hypoxia with histologic chorioamnionitis in preterm infants.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between neonatal mortality-morbidity and pregnancies with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), particularly those complicated by histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA), in preterm infants. A retrospective study was conducted on 58 preterm neonates born to 46 pregnant women with PPROM. Maternal characteristics, placental examination, and neonatal morbidity and mortality were analyzed. Of 1,392 deliveries, 46 (3.3%) pregnancies and 58 newborn infants were complicated with PPROM. HCA was present in 21 (1.5%) cases, and 15 of them were <28 weeks of gestational age. In the HCA (+) group, 8/21(38%) neonates had 5-minute Apgar scores of <5, 12/21 (57.1%) infants had patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), and 16/21 (76.1%) infants had respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The latency period was significantly longer and the rate of chorioamnionitis and percentage of major neonatal morbidity and mortality were significantly higher in preterm infants with gestational age <28 weeks. Respiratory distress syndrome, perinatal hypoxia and PDA were significantly associated with HCA in preterm infants.