A. Klee et al., DIFFERENCES IN NEONATAL MORBIDITY DEPENDING ON INDUCTION OF LABOR AFTER PREMATURE RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES, Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde, 57(9), 1997, pp. 496-499
Over a period of about six months each, deliveries after premature rup
ture of membranes (FROM) and a confirmed gestational age of > 32 weeks
were subjected to either of the following regimes: During the first 6
months induction was started 48 hours after FROM in the absence of sp
ontaneous labour (Group 1). During the following 6 months labour was i
nduced 12 hours after FROM in case of lacking labour-dependent cervica
l dilatation (Group 2). Progress of delivery and neonatal morbidity we
re analysed in both groups. 7.6% of the deliveries had to be induced i
n Group 1 compared with 25.7% in Group 2. No significant difference in
the delivery rate after 48 hours and in the operative delivery rate c
ould be observed (88.9% vs. 94.6% and 28.5% vs. 30.1%). Comparing both
subgroups, which underwent induction, revealed an increased operative
delivery rate in Group 2 (42% vs. 33%). The period of labour in this
group was prolonged (15 hours vs 9 hours). Caesarean section because o
f an amnionic infection syndrome and transfer to the neonatal care uni
t were not found to be different in groups 1 and 2 as well as in the c
orresponding subgroups. Severe infections such as pneumonia or amnioni
c infection syndrome were observed in 3.8% (Group 1) and in 5.7% (Grou
p 2). 7.4% of the newborn, delivered after induction of labour 12 hour
s following FROM, developed these infections, whereas no case arose wh
en labour was induced after 48 hours. These data suggest no benefit fo
r newborn delivered after induction of labour 12 hours following FROM,
compared to newborn delivered after an expectant labour by induction
after 48 hours.